New Dawn The Story of Bree
by TeamHPForever
Summary: This is the story of Bree, one of the vampires that Victoria created. What would have happened if the Volturi hadn't shown up that day? Starts at the end of Eclipse. T because I'm paranoid. I do not own Twilight SM does!
1. The Trail

Chapter One

I followed the scent like a bloodhound. Something warm had passed through here, something human, something we were supposed to find. The other vampires swarmed around me. Our numbers were down to nineteen now. I remembered just a night before; Sarah and another vampire had gotten into a fight. I winced as I remembered the horrible ripping and tearing sounds as they tore each other apart.

I couldn't think about that now though. Riley had told us that another coven would be at the end of the path we followed. This other coven wanted to defeat us and take our land, but we weren't going to let them. Riley had said it would be easy; they would be nothing against our newborn strength.

While most of my expanded mind concentrated on following the throat-burning scent, the rest was remembering the events of my short life. I ran quickly through my vague human memories. I remembered my parents as they took care of me, and then that night. That human memory stood out well among the others. I'd only been playing in the backyard when something sprang out of the shadows at me. It glittered like diamond and I was mesmerized. It was a woman, a beautiful woman. I opened my mouth to scream, but she covered my mouth with one strong hand. Her skin was ice cold against my face and I struggled, but it did me no good. Her mouth brushed against my throat before I could even begin to resist.

The three days that followed were the worst in my life. I remembered every minute of scalding pain with perfect clarity. It felt like being burned alive, hit by a train and trampled by a bull all at once. I couldn't tell where I was or anything else that was happening. A couple times, I thought I heard voices, but these were just vague recollections covered my memories of the pain.

Eventually, the pain ended. I could feel my heart stop and I thought I was dead. Then I opened my eyes. It was like seeing the world in a whole new light. At first, I thought I'd gone to heaven and then I noticed the horrible scalding pain in my throat. It drove me mad. I let my instincts completely take over. I followed a particularly appealing scent all the way to the park. There was a boy vandalizing the park benches. Before I could even think, I sprang. He didn't feel a thing. Once I was finished, I realized what I had done, what I had become. Disgusted, I tried to hide the evidence, but it did no good, the police soon found the boy.

I killed again and again, consumed by that horrible burning sensation in my throat. Finally, Riley found me. He explained what I had become in detail. He told me about the other coven and brought me to the other newborns. He wouldn't tell us who created us, only that this was what they wanted. At first, I was happy that there were others like me. Maybe they could help, but soon it became evident that they were no help. The fighting broke out almost immediately and even Riley was powerless to stop it. Our numbers dropped at a regular rate and now here we were, nineteen strong, about to attack another smaller coven.

We were getting close now I could feel it. The smell of blood burst my throat into flames and obliterated all other thoughts. I only knew that a human was nearby and I was thirsty…


	2. Surrender

**A/N:** Remember I do not own Twilight! Please enjoy and read and review!!!! School is ruining my life and reviews make me feel better!!!!

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Chapter Two

_We were getting close now I could feel it. The smell of blood burst my throat into flames and obliterated all other thoughts. I only knew that a human was nearby and I was thirsty…_

We burst into the clearing in a hunting crouch now and were met by the fury of the other coven. I watched as they quickly took out the other newborns. There were huge dogs with them, like the werewolves in movies, only larger. Riley hadn't told us there would be werewolves here. They tore us apart with their massive teeth. Horrible screeching filled the air as my fellow newborns were torn apart.

I tried to fight, but the battle was so confused that I didn't know where to turn. I looked around for Riley, but he had abandoned us. Had he known that this would happen? Did he desert us when the battle seemed lost?

I collapsed on the ground and let fear fill me up. My short life was going to end sooner than I ever wanted it to.

"What's wrong with it?" a loud voice asked. I could sense another vampire standing near me, but I didn't look up. I only waited for death to take me…or whatever was waiting for a vampire like me.

"Girl? I offer you the chance to surrender. The other newborns are gone," that was a different voice, kinder and held more maturity then the first voice. I looked up into the eyes of two vampires and recoiled. Their eyes were gold…that was not normal. Riley had told us to expect this, but hearing about it and seeing it for yourself are very different things.

"I surrender," I submitted. I didn't want to lose my life before it began, even if I was to lead a vampire life from now on.

I looked back up into the eyes of my captors. The taller one was clearly the second speaker. His golden eyes were kind and he was taller than the other. He was also clearly older in terms of human and vampire age. My eyes turned to the second vampire and I recoiled. His neck was covered in the scars that only a vampire's venom could make and he was glaring at me with very clear dislike.

"We will not harm you if you surrender," the older one told me reassuringly. "Jasper, watch her. I know you are not used to taking prisoners, but please."

The one called Jasper nodded and turned to watch me. I collapsed onto the ground and felt my head spin. Who were these people? What would they do to me? Where was Riley? _Why_ was this vampire called Jasper staring at me with such dislike? And where did he get all those scars?

A gentle breeze blew through the field carrying with it the savory scent of a human. My thirst burned again, obliterating all thoughts. I jumped to my feet and dropped into a hunting crouch, but before I could take a step in her direction, Jasper grabbed my arms and forced me back to the ground.

"How can you resist?" I whined as I strained weakly in an attempt to get to the frail human girl.

"Decades of practice. We'll teach you too if you are willing."

The girl left in a car with one of the other vampires and the older one turned his attention back to me.

"What is your name?" he asked, smiling calmly.

"Bree," I answered when Jasper finally released my arms.

"What is your story? We know Victoria's and Riley's, but what is yours?"

"Riley? Where is he? Why did he abandon us? And who's Victoria?"

"Victoria is your creator. She and Riley went up to that mountain there and attacked the human girl you say earlier."

"Is she? Well my story…" I told them everything from the night I was attacked all the way to the moment we had entered the field. I really didn't think they needed to know anything about the actual battle.

"I'm sorry this had to happen to you," he said sincerely. "I'd like you to join our coven or you could travel to a similar coven in Denali. I'm sure they would be glad to take you in and tell you all about your way of life. As you may have noticed, we don't attack humans. Instead we drink the blood of animals."

"I'd be delighted to join your coven. If I can learn this new lifestyle then someday I will leave." I'd leave as soon as my thirst was under control. I didn't want to stay with this strange golden-eyed coven that had slaughtered so many of my friends, even if they had a good reason too. "The gold eyes?"

"A side effect of our diet. I'm delighted that you would be willing to join. Alice, Jasper, why don't you take our newest member hunting. She looks thirsty. We'll have to be careful to warn Edward not to bring Bella around our house for a while. It probably isn't the best idea…"

Jasper nodded and the little pixie-like girl skipped over to take his hand. So they were together.

"Bree, this is Alice and Jasper. That is Rosalie, Emmett, my wife, Esme, and I'm Carlisle. The boy who left earlier is Edward and the human's name is Bella," Carlisle did the formal introductions. They all nodded to me and I nodded politely back.

"Be careful, Alice. Watch before you hunt," Carlisle warned and the two of them took me by the arms and led me off into the woods.

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**A/N:** Like it? Hate it? Please click the little review button and write something! I'd like some suggestions please! I have an idea where the story is going to go, but if you have an idea I'd love to hear it!


	3. Hunt

**Sorry it took me a couple days to get this up. I've been busy. Here you are. Enjoy. I do not own Twilight.**

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Chapter Three

_"Be careful, Alice. Watch before you hunt," Carlisle warned and the two of them took me by the arms and led me off into the woods. _

"Hi, I'm Alice," the girl said as she led me through the woods. She kept a fast walking pace, but I was easily able to keep up. "This is Jasper. You have to excuse him. He was raised during the southern vampire wars."

"The what?" I asked, my curiosity exceeding my annoyance.

"Well you see, a long time ago…"

"Not now, Alice," Jasper growled. "Let's just say that's how I got all these scars."

I glanced over at the scars covering his throat and winced again.

"Anyway, about our diet. You see we survive entirely on the blood of animals, so no hunting humans while you're here. It's what gives us these gold eyes. It's going to be hard for you to resist humans for quite a long time, but since you're still pretty new you won't have as hard a time as someone who's been hunting humans for a few years," Alice continued talking at a speed most humans wouldn't be able to follow and I half-listened. "Every few years we have to move so the humans don't notice that we're not aging. It's an inconvenient truth of our lives. It's going to have _so_ nice to have another girl around, besides Rosalie. Tell me, do you like shopping?"

I was taken aback at the sudden question. "Yeah I guess so…"

"Good, because I _love_ shopping. I'm pretty much the only one. Carlisle's great. He's the oldest of our coven and created Edward, Rosalie, Emmett and Esme. He works at the hospital."

"He works at the _hospital_? How can he resist the smell?"

"It's not easy, but he's got the most control of all of us. It took a lot of work, but now the smell of blood doesn't bother him at all."

My throat burst into flames at the idea and Alice stopped for a moment. Her eyes went blank for the smallest fraction of a second and then she caught up easily.

"What was that about?" I asked having noticed the strange occurrence.

"Nothing," Alice answered quickly.

"She sometimes sees the future," Jasper explained quickly.

"Enough about us though. Let's get hunting." Alice dropped smoothly into a hunting crouch and I copied. Jasper followed along at a safe distance.

I caught the scent of a deer in the woods, but instead of making my throat burst into the now familiar flames, it frankly repulsed me. "We have to hunt that?" I whined.

"It's not very appealing when you're new, but trust me you'll get used to it. Predators smell a little better than herbivores," Alice explained as she followed the scent silently through the trees.

I moved with perfect silence myself, loving the soft feel of my muscles moving together over the grass. I weaved lightly through the trees and emerged into a tiny clearing where the doe stood. I let my full instinct take over and sprung. The doe went crashing down under my weight and my mouth was at its throat in a heartbeat. When I finished, I felt slightly better. My throat burned, but it was a dull feeling. It hadn't tasted as good as when I'd brought down the boy, but this time I didn't feel disgusted with myself. I decided then and there that I was never going to kill a human ever again. I would learn to control my thirst with this strange gold-eyed coven.

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**Hit that review button and tell me what you think! By the way if anyone has an idea of what Bree would have as a special ability as a vampire like Edward's mind-reading and Alice's visions please send it in a pm. I'm trying to come up with ideas. **


	4. Will You Stay?

**I am SO sorry that it took me so long to update. I've been so busy writing real novels and school. But here's the next chapter. I'm still trying to figure out exactly where this story is going. Remember to review!**

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Chapter Four

_I moved with perfect silence myself, loving the soft feel of my muscles moving together over the grass. I weaved lightly through the trees and emerged into a tiny clearing where the doe stood. I let my full instinct take over and sprung. The doe went crashing down under my weight and my mouth was at its throat in a heartbeat. When I finished, I felt slightly better. My throat burned, but it was a dull feeling. It hadn't tasted as good as when I'd brought down the boy, but this time I didn't feel disgusted with myself. I decided then and there that I was never going to kill a human ever again. I would learn to control my thirst with this strange gold-eyed coven. _

"Nice one!" Alice called from behind me and I whipped around with amazing speed. She danced up behind me, a huge grin on her face. Jasper followed solemnly behind her.

"Thanks," I shrugged self-consciously. "Um, can I…" I dropped into a hunting crouch and breathed deep, taking in the scents.

"Go ahead, we'll join you if you don't mind."

I shrugged again and stalked along over the grass. It wasn't long before I brought down a mid-sized buck. Alice and Jasper left and hunted while I did. Once I was finished, they appeared out of the woods, clothes perfectly clean and eyes a honey golden color.

"What now?" I asked stepping away from the deer at my feet.

"Why don't you stay with us?" Alice suggested as she danced over to me. Jasper looked like he wanted to protest, but he didn't.

"I don't know about that—" I began and Alice cut me off.

"Too late, you're staying. I've already seen it!"

"Wonderful." _Can I even make my own choices anymore? These people are like my parents!_

Jasper's eyes narrowed and I felt like he could read my thoughts. "If you don't want to stay, why don't you just get out of here?"

"Jasper!" Alice scolded. "He can sense feelings, Bree. I didn't think you knew that."

_That explains it. He could feel my torn emotions and desire to leave. But why does he want me out so badly? _"I'll stay." I still didn't have perfect control over my thirst and I definitely didn't want to kill anyone. Though at this point I was beginning to think that maybe it would be worth struggling with my thirst alone just to get away from Jasper.

"We need to get back," Alice commented, watching my silent war with myself.

Jasper nodded and we began to run together. I felt a strange blast of jealousy at the way they ran together in perfect synch, hands clasped. I hadn't had many friends as a human and that fact wasn't likely to change now that I was a vampire. It was clear to even me that these two had something special.

It didn't take long to arrive at their house. It was a beautiful house, they were clearly rich. The smell of human lingered in the air and caused my thirst to burn again. It was manageable now though.

"Human?" I asked swallowing against my burning throat.

"Bella. She's not here now though," Alice answered as she led me up to the house.

"Why do you have a human around here?"

"Edward's in love with her."

I didn't have time to ask any more questions at the time, though my curious mind was full of them, as Alice opened the door.


	5. Meet the Family

**Remember I do not own Twilight. Enjoy. **

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Chapter Five

_I didn't have time to ask any more questions at the time, though my curious mind was full of them, as Alice opened the door. _

The inside of the house was even fancier then the outside.

_Why would vampires need all this stuff?_ I wondered, looking around at all the expensive furniture. The first thing I noticed was the wall almost completely made of glass.

"Welcome to our home, Bree," someone said. "I'm Esme." A chocolate haired vampire walked out of the dining room and gave me a hug. She immediately struck me as the motherly type and I felt a strange pang of homesickness for my old life. "I think you'll like it here."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at her last statement. I knew I wasn't going to like it here. Already my instincts were screaming for me to run out the door and never look back.

A tough looking vampire walked down the stairs. He was strangely graceful for his large, muscular size. I flinched away from his thickly muscled arms having seen those same hands tearing my brethren apart. The blonde haired vampire followed him. She was beautiful, even by vampire standards and I didn't like the way she appraised me, almost as if I was a piece of jewelry in a shop window.

"Welcome to the family," the huge vampire said with a smile. I warmed up to him at once, he reminded me of my older cousin, tough on the outside, but a teddy bear on the inside.

"Isn't the coven big enough already, Carlisle?" the blonde vamp asked. "Especially if _Bella_ is going to join?"

I didn't miss the obvious disgust her voice held when she said Bella's name. _What does she have against a human girl? So that vamp's in love with her. Big deal, he'll probably end up killing her anyway, _I thought.

"Now, Rosalie. Bree's had a tough time the past few months and none of this is Bella or Edward's fault," Carlisle answered firmly.

Rosalie just snorted at me and stormed out of the room.

"Don't mind her," Alice told me. "She's just worried about our family."

I nodded, not really caring what blondie's problem was. I just wanted to fix my problem and get out of here. I wasn't planning to stay long enough to mix myself up in their problems.

"Well, you probably want to be alone…" Esme said. "You can hide out in any of the spare bedroom upstairs."

I nodded. "Thank you." I walked up the stairs and entered the first door I found. This bedroom had a sense of emptiness. It had to be one of the spares. I collapsed on the bed and wished for the hundredth time that I could sleep. A strange pricking sensation bothered my eyes and I wished that I could cry. I wished I was human.

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Remember to drop me a review. Sorry this chappie was so short.


	6. Lover Boy

**As requested by a certain impatient friend (just kidding you know who you are) here is Chapter six of New Dawn. Nothing has changed, I still don't own Twilight and I never will. Enjoy!**

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Chapter Six

_I nodded. "Thank you." I walked up the stairs and entered the first door I found. This bedroom had a sense of emptiness. It had to be one of the spares. I collapsed on the bed and wished for the hundredth time that I could sleep. A strange pricking sensation bothered my eyes and I wished that I could cry. I wished I was human. _

I pretty much kept to myself in the bedroom. Alice popped in every morning to bring me a new set of clothes. Somehow even after two weeks of the routine, I never worse the same clothes twice. Now I understood why she wanted to have another girl to go shopping with. I doubted Blondie would want to go shopping with Tinkerbell. I rarely saw Edward, or Lover boy, as I had come to call him in my head. Tinkerbell told me he was spending more time with Bella. At least he wasn't _here_ with her.

It was two weeks before anyone remembered that I was younger than them and I needed to hunt more often. My eyes were already black with thirst, but I refused to complain, even though the burning in my throat frequently interrupted my usual thoughts.

A loud knock echoed through my room and interrupted my unusually dark thoughts. I sighed, pulling myself to my feet and answered the door. It was Lover Boy.

"What do you want?" I asked in a voice harsh from my thirst. I didn't care if I was rude, I couldn't think about anything but my thirst.

He ignored my rudeness. "I came to see if you wanted to go hunting."

"Why aren't you with your little girlfriend?"

"Carlisle asked me to take you hunting since I have the most experience in resisting human blood, he thought it would be good for me to have a talk with you."

"Fine," I growled, too thirsty to protest. Even the tiny traces of human scent on his coat made my throat burn with flames.

Edward turned without answer and led me out of the house. I didn't see any of the others around, but I could smell that they were nearby. It took everything I had to follow Edward when we walked outside and the human scent covering his car drifted towards me. The allure of human blood was so strong.

_No. I will not touch another human for as long as I exist. If Lover Boy can do it then so can I. _

He burst into a run as soon as we reached the woods. He seemed to know exactly where he was going though I was moving too fast to recognize any parts of the forest flashing by.

He slammed to a stop in a little clearing. This was where my new life had begun and where so many lives had ended.

I dropped into a hunting crouch and left him alone. If he wasn't going to pay attention to me, I wasn't going to pay any attention to him. I knew that he followed at a safe distance, but I put the matter out of my mind and concentrated on the scent of the lone buck pulling me forward. I leapt onto his back easily and his weight collapsed underneath me as his back broke.

Once I finished, I stood up again and smelled the air. I couldn't catch the scent of any more animals in range, but my throat continued to burn.

"I'm still thirsty!" I yelled to Edward as if it was all his fault.

"There's another herd of deer a couple miles away." He ran through the woods, leading me again. I hated my dependency on Lover Boy, but my thirst was overriding my usual feelings towards the Cullens.

As soon as I caught the scent, I dropped back into a crouch and brought down the largest doe. I didn't notice that Lover Boy had disappeared until I had finished with the deer.

_Good riddance._ I decided to leave him here in the woods. Serve him right if he lost me. I followed our scent as I ran through the woods, enjoying the way my feet barely touched the ground before lifting off again. It almost felt like I was flying.

I jerked to a stop as a scent filled my nostrils. A human scent.

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**Uh oh! What's Bree going to do? Drop me a review, it makes me write faster! I plan to start chapter seven tonight, but I probably won't finish it. **


	7. We Need to Talk

**Quick Author's Note before we begin: This story will NOT follow the events of Breaking Dawn because I'm too lazy to write them from another point of view. Therefore they will follow my version of BD. Not that that's out of the way...Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own yadda yadda yadda Twilight yadda yadda yadda you know the drill Enjoy!**

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Chapter Seven

_I jerked to a stop as a scent filled my nostrils. A human scent._

I could hear their voices, smell their scent. It was a man and a woman, clearly hikers, probably lost in the woods. It would only take my seconds to kill them both and people would just assume they'd gotten lost and attacked by an animal…

_NO! I promised myself no more humans! Not after _him_! _

I turned and tried to run. I couldn't figure out if I was running from the scent or if I was trying to run from what I had become. Either way, I couldn't escape. Their scent followed me as if I was some sort of magnet and their voices got louder as if they were getting closer rather than farther away. My throat burned trying to aid the monster inside of me. I was fighting an internal battle, and my good side was losing. Each time the monster roared it's defiance of my mind's commands my throat would burn in answer. How could I run when the enemy was inside of me?

The answer to that question was…I couldn't. My human side gave in to the monster. I dropped to a crouch and let my hunting instincts take over. I could hear the two hikers now. The woman was complaining to the man, apparently her husband, that if he had just listened to her they wouldn't be lost.

"What was that?" the woman asked and I could hear the fear in her voice. I moved forward and I could see the sun shining on her auburn hair.

"Probably just a squirrel," her husband answered, but I could see him glance nervously at the bushes in the opposite direction.

I almost laughed at their stupidity. They didn't know that something much, _much_ worse than a squirrel was hiding in the brush. They didn't know that in a split second their lives could end. And in a second they would. They weren't even looking in the right direction.

I crouched, seeing red, breathing in their scent like a drink. I was intoxicated by the scent of their blood and I needed to taste it.

Someone growled behind me and before I could react, three vampires bowled me over. The largest pulled me back into the woods before the two hikers had even taken a breath. I struggled, my prey was _so_ close! But they wouldn't let me go. Once we were far enough away and my mind was cleared of that inticing scent, they released me and I turned to see my attackers. It was Alice, Edward and Emmett. Then I remembered that Alice could see the future.

_She must've seen me attacking those hikers and came to stop me._

Emmett still had my arms behind my back while Alice and Edward stood in front of me. I glared at Edward, remembered now that it was all his fault. _He_ had left me alone in these unfamiliar woods.

"It's fine Emmett, you can let her go now," Alice said and I felt a surge of anger in the way she talked to him first. Emmett obeyed, releasing my arms from his iron grip, and I started to stalk off in anger.

"Wait, Bree. Edward was _supposed _to talk to you and since he didn't we're all here to talk," Alice called and the three of them blocked me from leaving. I had nowhere to turn. I resisted the urge to snort like a little kid.

_I'm stronger. I could just break through. But I can't beat all three of them. I could jump over them, but Edward's faster. He would catch. Dang, there's no escape._

"There's no escape, Bree," Edward said, reading my thoughts. I growled. Was nothing private anymore?

"We have to talk, Bree."

"Alright, talk."

"Edward's marrying Bella in two weeks. After that, he's promised to turn her into a vampire. And then we're going to have to move."

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**WELL? Like it? Hate it? Please review!!! I'm trying to decide where they are going to go so I need suggestions! I don't want them to go to Tanya's becaues that's what happens in another of my fanfics. Would get a little repetitive... **


	8. A Wedding and Jasper's Story

**A/N: I am SO very, very sorry it's taken my so long to update again. I have been so busy with school, homework and my regular writing that I haven't had the time or ambition to work on my fanfics. Next week is exams so I figured I'd get an update in again before my time's taken up by that. I'm going to try to update every weekend at the very least and after this week I may start trying to update every other day especially now that I know where this story is going to go. **

**I don't own Twilight, but I do own a novel of my own, so enjoy and DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW! I might get in another update tomorrow or Sunday if I get enough reviews....little bribery for you guys. :D  
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Chapter Eight

"_Edward's marrying Bella in two weeks. After that, he's promised to turn her into a vampire. And then we're going to have to move."_

_Move? Again?_ I groaned inside my head. I was just starting to get used to my new home and now I was going to be uprooted again. And by Lover Boy and his human girl no less. "Why do I have to leave?" I had to work to keep my voice from sounding like a whiny five year old.

"We're all going, Bree."

"But _where_ are we going?"

"Vancouver. In the mountains," Edward answered.

"You know, bears, moose, deer, plenty of hunting opportunities," Emmett added.

"We're going to live in the _woods_?" I said.

"Think of it as camping," Alice said. "It's not like we're sleeping in the woods or anything."

I sighed. Clearly anything I said wasn't going to change the decision to leave. If they had to leave, then I guess I had no choice, but no follow.

***

The two weeks before the wedding passed rapidly. I hunted with Alice one weekend and then the weekend before the wedding we all hunted together, even Edward, who had been spending every moment with his fiancé. I wasn't allowed to go to the wedding so I had to stay home, alone.

It took _forever_ for the family to come home, minus Edward of course who was gone on his honeymoon. Over the next few weeks, Carlisle spent the day finalizing things at the hospital. Alice hid her in room most of the time and I assumed she was distracted by all the visions coming in. When I asked about it, she proceeding to give me a detailed account of Edward's activities on Isle Esme with Bella. I didn't ask any more after that.

The weeks passed slowly and I waited for Edward and Bella to return. I was beginning to wonder if they'd decided to live on the island so Bella wouldn't have to go to Vancouver with the rest of us, but eventually they returned. To my surprise, Bella was still human, and she came right into the house as I was sitting on the couch. Of course, the moment she entered, Emmett, Alice, and Carlisle came tearing down the stairs as fast as a vampire can go. Not because they were eager to greet Edward and Bella, but because they were worried about how I was going to react to having a human walk right though the door five feet away.

"Hey everyone!" Bella smiled as she walked through the door and Edward took her coat. "Oops." She took one look at me and froze. I'd already stopped breathing, but her appealing scent was coming at me from all directions. A familiar mental battle had already begun in my head. The monster was screaming defiance in the form of my burning throat while my human side flashed images of the boy I'd killed and the two hikers that had almost become my next victims. I was so confused my head spun for the first time since I'd become a vampire. I'd never been confused since that day, but I was now. Each side had reached a deadlock and no decision was being made.

"Come on, Bree," Jasper whispered, sensing my battle. I nodded and followed him through the house and out the back door into the fresh air.

"I'm sorry," I heard Edward say before the glass door closed. "Bella wanted to see you all and I forgot about Bree."

I groaned with frustration as I collapsed face first onto the ground. I'd almost killed Edward's wife! Who was I going to try to kill next?

"Bree?" Jasper said, kneeling down beside me. "Bree, are you listening?"

I raised my head and nodded in answer.

"Bree, I'm going to tell you my story. Believe me, it was tougher for me to resist human blood than it ever will be for you. Every time one gets near me, I remember my past. All the people I killed echo in my head, their cries, their faces, their feelings, but it both intensifies and discourages the burning."

I rolled over to look at him and motioned for him to continue. He nodded and continued his story. It was there, laying on the hard ground – though I didn't notice – that I learned of Jasper's past. How he had been a soldier and transformed by Maria. How he had fought for humans, seeing them only as livestock, how he had killed many newborns when they outlived their usefulness. His story held my spell-bound and I barely noticed when it was finished.

"I still have trouble resisting human blood," he said, wrapping up his story. "But I'm learning fast and you will too."

"Thanks, Jasper. It can't be easy for you to tell me all this. Now I understand why you hated me in the beginning. It was war and in war you've never taken captives."

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry. It was part of who you are."


	9. Vancouver

**A/N: I'm trying to cheer myself up, so I decided to write a chappie. Things are going to pick up from here. :)**** Please review, I like to read them. It makes me feel better when I'm in a writing depression. Oh, and if anyone has a suggestion for what Bree's special vampire ability can be, I'd enjoy suggestions. **

**I don't own Twilight or this laptop that I'm currently typing from. **

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Chapter Nine

"_Thanks, Jasper. It can't be easy for you to tell me all this. Now I understand why you hated me in the beginning. It was war and in war you've never taken captives."_

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Don't be sorry. It was part of who you are."_

Jasper and I got along a lot better after that. I even sat next to him on the plane. It was a private jet, not that I expected anything less of the Cullens. Bella and Edward even had their own private jet (they obviously couldn't share ours with me on board). A part of my brain imagined all the things they could be doing in there all alone, and I was surprised to find I was jealous. That's right, I was jealous of Lover Boy and his human girlfriend. I was even jealous of her. _I'm starting to act like Rosalie. _But it was true. Bella had everything I wanted. She was human, she had friends, a family, a life. I had all those things once and then they were torn out from under me like a carpet beneath my feet. When that carpet was pulled out from under me, I'd fallen on the floor hard. I was even jealous of Edward. He had found the love of his life and had a wonderful family that loved him. Even though Carlisle wasn't his real mother and Rosalie wasn't his real sister, they might as well been.

I sighed, staring out the window, and Jasper stroked my arm reassuringly. Remembering his ability to tell what I was feeling, I tried to turn my thoughts to something else, but it didn't work.

It was a long flight to Vancouver, but eventually we descended from the sky and landed smoothly onto the private airstrip. Our departure into the mountains went off without a hitch and soon we stood outside a small group of cabins.

"Here we are," Carlisle said motioning towards the cabins. "Five cabins. One for Bella and Edward, one for Rosalie and Emmett, one for Alice and Jasper, one for Esme and myself, and finally, one for Bree."

I winced at the reminder. _I'm all alone in a cabin. All alone in this world. I might be considered a part of the family, but I don't really belong. I should go._

"Bree, you are as much a part of this family as Bella here," Edward said and I winced again.

_Stay out of my head, Lover boy!_ I screamed in my head, but he just turned calmly towards the house. _And when are you going to change _Mrs._ Cullen there, Lover boy? I might just slip…_

Edward growled and turned to me, eyes blazing like solid gold. I took two steps back, already regretting my thoughts. _Oops, I'm sorry! It was a joke honest!_

He shook it off and I glanced around at the rest of the family. If they had noticed the silent fight, they ignored it.

"Come on everyone, let's get settled in!" Esme said sounding as excited as a new wife moving into her first house.

I sighed and walked into my cabin. It was fancifully decorated, no less than the usual Cullen standard. Everything was included. A kitchenette, living room, bedroom, even a bathroom. Not that I'd be needing much of it. Really, the cabins were for visual purposes only. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. I didn't even need the bathroom unless I decided to take a shower. And why would I? There was no one out here to see me. Just Edward and the other Cullens. What did I care what they thought of me?

I was exploring the cabin, trying to memorize every detail of the furniture for my amusement when a loud cry echoed through the woods. I ran out of my cabin, frantic, and ran next door to Carlisle's cabin. Empty. I ran to the next one. Empty. Then I spotted Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Alice gathered outside Bella and Edward's cabin and suddenly I felt sick. Something was happening. Bella was being changed.

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**Oh, how I love cliffies. :D I'm sure you all want to kill me right now, but I'll be writing the next chapter as soon as this one gets posted. So fear not, I hope to get it up tomorrow. In the meantime, please review. **


	10. Bella

**I'm am SO sorry everyone! :D I got this chapter finished and then I had a flashdrive accident and lost it. In fact, I had two and a half chapters written. Note to fans: Don't put all your work on an unreliable flashdrive without backing it up somewhere else first. I am just now getting around to rewriting it. I've also designed a schedule for updating my four fanfics. This one gets Monday and Friday. Without further ado, here is chapter ten. **

**Oh yeah I guess I forgot something. I don't own Twilight. **

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Chapter Ten

_I was exploring the cabin, trying to memorize every detail of the furniture for my amusement when a loud cry echoed through the woods. I ran out of my cabin, frantic, and ran next door to Carlisle's cabin. Empty. I ran to the next one. Empty. Then I spotted Jasper, Rosalie, Emmett, and Alice gathered outside Bella and Edward's cabin and suddenly I felt sick. Something was happening. Bella was being changed._

"Stop!" I screamed running into the house. "Stop, Bella! You're making a mistake!" But my calls were too late. Edward was standing back, a pained look on his face as his wife writhed with pain on the table. I knew she was trying not to cry out, for Edward's sake, but it clearly tortured her. Staring at her, I began to relive my own transformation. The burning of every inch of skin, every scream, the tears running down my face, even the initial slashing pains in the back of my neck. I remembered every pain with perfect detail.

The smell of blood wafted into my lungs as I began to breathe heavily, jerking me from the memory. Removing all memories, all thought. All I could think of was the girl on the table in front of me. She was no longer leaking blood, but the smell of it in the room was clear. If I ended her suffering, wouldn't her death be justifiable?

"Get her," Alice whispered behind me and before I could react both Jasper and Emmett jumped me and pulled me from the cabin, closing the door before I could try to run inside. After several seconds breathing in the fresh wilderness air I soon had my head back and the full gravity of what I had almost done hit me. Me, Bree Henderson, had just almost killed one of my friend's wives. These nice people had taken me in and all I had done was cause trouble. Sulking around the house, attempting attacks on unsuspecting hikers, trying to kill their wives. I was a sick monster. Before anyone could stop me, I ran. I only wanted to get away from there. Get away from those nice people, their beautiful cabins, and most of all: Bella. What would she say when she found out that I had tried to kill her? Tried to end the transformation, even if it was what she wanted.

I didn't stop running. I just kept going and going and going until I thought I'd reach the Arctic Ocean. But I didn't and I finally slammed to a stop on the edge of a lake. A beautiful secluded lake surrounded by a heavy, freezing mist. The lake reflected my feelings perfectly and I fell to the ground at its edge. If I had been human, I would've been crying. But I wasn't human and I couldn't cry. If I was human, I'd be at home right now. Watching TV, trying to avoid cleaning my room despite the constant warnings from my parents, hanging out with my friends. But I wasn't home right now. I was in Vancouver, well somewhere in Canada anyway, alone by a lake. Or so I thought.

"Hello?" a velvet voice echoed from the shadows behind me. A voice that smooth and perfect could only belong to one thing: a vampire.

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**Ooooo who's the vampire? Guess you'll have to wait until Friday to find out. Review please! The less reviews I get, the less likely I am to update on time. I may even update tonight, if you're good. :)**


	11. The Strange Vampire by the Lake

**A/N: Sorry it's been so long! Lack of reviews = lack of ambition. Especially when my schedule is packed full of other things to do. I have the whole thing outlined, but Bree has a mind of her own so things could always change. This story is going in an interesting direction at the moment. **

**So… five reviews = update. So read, enjoy, remember I don't own Twilight, and REVIEW!**

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Chapter Eleven

"_Hello?" a velvet voice echoed from the shadows behind me. A voice that smooth and perfect could only belong to one thing: a vampire._

I whipped around as fast as I could, landing on my feet as I prepared to run. My teeth bared and I leaned forward into a hunting crouch. _I'll teach you to startle me. _

"Whoa there, girl. I'm not going to hurt you." He snorted softly at the vicious expression on my face. But I wasn't moving. A male vamp stood behind me, shrouded in the shadows of the woods. He stepped into the light behind me. He was shorter than most, with the same pale skin. Thick black hair surrounded his face and he was quite handsome. But that wasn't what I was thinking about.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, not moving up from my crouch. I needed to be ready if he attacked after all.

"I could ask you the same question."

"I asked first."

"Fine. I live here. I'm a "vegetarian" like you. Have been my whole life. Or…vampire life rather."

"Your eyes are red." The glittering red irises on his cold, white face had not escaped my notice.

"I'm young. So, I told you what I am doing way out here. Your turn."

I paused, not moving a muscle. I didn't like this strange vampire one bit. "I just hunting."

"Doesn't look like you're hunting to me."

"I'm taking a break."

He snorted. "Tired are you?"

"No."

"Then what _are_ you doing out here?"

"I'm running away from my coven."

"Why? Didn't let you have that choice human you found?"

His cold voice bristled the hair on the back of my neck. No, I didn't like him one bit. "No that's not it."

"Then what is it?"

"I tried to kill one of their wives."

"And was there a motive for the attempted murder or are you just crazy?"

"I wanted to stop her from being changed."

His eyebrows raised and I could sense his curiosity on the air. Of course he would wonder why a human girl was married to a vampire. I waited to see if he asked. But he didn't. "What's your name?"

_Lie. Come on girl! Lie!_

_I haven't lied to him yet._

_He can't be trusted! LIE!_

"Bree." My name burst from my lips before I could stop it. The more sensible voice in my mind groaned and slammed the door on its way out.

"Bree." He said it slowly, savoring every letter.

"And your name?"

"Leopold."

"Well, I'd better get going Leopold. I'm sure my coven is worried about me."

"Wait, you're still going back to them?"

"Of course. I don't want to have to go on alone."

"So join me."

His request caught me completely off-guard and I almost fell over as I straightened up. But vampires don't fall over. Ever. "I don't think…"

"Why not?"

"I've been with this coven a long time… I wouldn't feel comfortable just leaving them behind without so much as a good-bye…"

"So go back, say your good-byes, and return to me." In one movement too fast for human eyes to follow, he narrowed the distance between us and stood just inches away from me. My breathing quickened as his gaze held me hypnotized, like a snake before its charmer. He lifted one hand and stroked my cheek with the back of it. "So beautiful," he muttered with a smile.

"Um…thank you…I've really got to go now…"

"Good-bye, Bree. Think about my offer." He disappeared into the trees like a ghost. I stood in shock for several seconds before striding off in the way I had come. But all I could think of on my way back was the strange vampire named Leopold.

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**Whatcha think about Leopold? Think he can be trusted? Review please! :) I want five before I update. **


	12. Return to the Cullens

**A/N: I'm back again with another chapter. I only got _two _reviews last time. Thanks for those two people who took the time to review. :) And this time, I want MORE! More is better. So R, R and E! Read, Review, and Enjoy!  
**

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Chapter Twelve

"_Good-bye, Bree. Think about my offer." He disappeared into the trees like a ghost. I stood in shock for several seconds before striding off in the way I had come. But all I could think of on my way back was the strange vampire named Leopold. _

The Cullens were waiting for me when I returned to the cabins. Edward was still with his Bella. I could hear her moans muffled by the walls of her cabin. I winced at the sound, once again forcing down the urge to end her suffering.

"Hello, everyone," I said, stopping several yards away and digging up the grass under my feet. "Um…I'm back."

"Welcome back, Bree." Alice smiled in her knowing way. Of course, she knew I'd be back. But did she know about the strange vampire I'd met? She had to, or at least Edward had to. He was all I had been thinking about.

"I kind of…met someone in the woods."

Carlisle looked at me sharply and I knew that if Alice and Edward knew about the meeting, they hadn't told. I felt grateful in some ways, but wished they had in others. "Who?" he asked.

"It was a vampire…he said his name was Leopold….he said he was a vegetarian, but his eyes are red. When I asked him about it, he said he was young."

"Stay away from him, Bree," Jasper growled, causing me to jump. "Stay far away. He can't be trusted."

"But why?"

"Just trust me on this. Whoever this vampire is, he can't be trusted."

"Listen to him, Bree," Carlisle added, giving me a wise smile. "You can't see that vampire alone again."

I growled. _Who are these guys to think they can boss me around? _Edward's growl echoed from the house and I knew he'd heard me. _Get out of my head, Lover Boy._

"Alice what do you see?" Carlisle asked.

She shook her head. "Nothing. I saw them meeting but…nothing since. They're both undecided." She glanced meaningfully at me.

_She knows. She knows that he invited me to join his coven and that I haven't decided if I should or not. Is nothing my own anymore?!_

"Where was this…Leopold?" Carlisle asked.

"By the lake. Miles and miles away," I answered.

"Maybe we should…" Emmett flexed his arm muscles.

"No. He hasn't bothered us yet. We'll leave him alone as long as he leaves us alone," Carlisle said, throwing a stern look at his "son". "But Bree, maybe it would be best if you stayed around for a few days…"

"No! He wouldn't hurt me."

"You don't know that. Edward, what is he thinking?" His voice didn't rise in volume even though Edward was still in the cabin behind closed doors.

"I can't hear him. He must be too far away."

Carlisle nodded. "Until we know more, we'll wait. Bree, you can leave, but stay safe. Don't go too far and one of you always make sure you're in reach."

Alice, Jasper and Emmett nodded though the two boys looked disappointed.

_You can't make me stay. You're not my parents and you're not my boss! I can do whatever I please, thank you very much. And I'm leaving. I love Leopold and I think he loves me too. I'm going to join him, and you'll all be sorry. _


	13. By the Lake

**A/N: Another chapter. Yay I'm on a roll :D A few notes before I begin:**

**1. I now have extra responsibilities that need attending to so I'm not sure how often I'll be able to update. I'll try to write up a chapter whenever I can, but that time is now severely limited. **

**2. My other fanfics are on hold. Bree is taking up so much of my time that I don't have a lot for anything else. The other three will be finished someday (especially What Could Have Been), I just don't know when that day will be. **

**3. R, R, and E! I do love my reviews. :D  
**

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Chapter Thirteen

_You can't make me stay. You're not my parents and you're not my boss! I can do whatever I please, thank you very much. And I'm leaving. I love Leopold and I think he loves me too. I'm going to join him, and you'll all be sorry. _

I hid in my cabin for most of the afternoon until nightfall. When dark fell and the others retreated to their own cabins, I walked outside my own. Bella was quieter now, but her transformation wasn't over. I could hear Edward's quiet reassurances to his wife and smiled. Soon I would have a love of my own.

"Goodbye, everyone," I whispered before running into the woods and letting the shadows swallow me up. If any of them heard me, they didn't give chase. There was no sound of footsteps running through the woods behind me.

I ran for miles and miles until it felt like I would be running forever. _What if I'm running the wrong way?_ As soon as this possibility occurred to me, the smell of the lake reached my lungs and I kept running. I skidded to a half inches from the edge of the lake and looked around.

"You came," a familiar voice sounded from the shadows and I whirled around, smiling. Leopold was waiting, a beautiful grin gracing his face. He wore the same tattered leather clothing as he had the last time I'd seen him, but his eyes were a darker shade of black.

"You didn't hunt?"

He shook his head. "I was waiting for you."

A tingle spread from my head to my toes. _He was waiting for me. _I was giddy with happiness. "You should hunt."

He nodded. "I will. Now." I tried to follow him into the woods, but he pushed me back with one hand. "Alone."

"Okay." Hurt flashed across my face and I returned the lake edge, content to wait for his return.

I waited for hours and hours until dark began to fall. Finally, I heard the soft footsteps of Leopold has he returned from the hunting trip.

"How is the prey running?" I asked without turning around. "Do you have some good prey around here?"

"Yes. Very nice. But not nearly as nice as you."

If I had been human, I would've blushed. "Thanks…I think."

He ran swiftly over to me and sat down. "The lake is so beautiful here. Don't you agree?"

"Yes. It reminds me off…" I smiled, turning my face towards him.

"Reminds you of what?"

"Reminds me of me in a way. The cold mist, the unpredictable gray waters..."

"The indescribable beauty."

My cold skin failed to produce a blush again. "That too I guess…"

"You don't believe you are beautiful."

"No." No use in lying to him. "I'm nothing compared to Rosalie or Alice or even Bella. I was always so small in my school. The guys would never take a second look."

"Well I think you are more beautiful than all of them put together."

I snorted.

"It's true. In fact, I'm sure the boys would sit up and drool over you now."

"I suppose they would."

His hand moved to stroke a strand of hair behind my ear, but it didn't stop there. His finger traveled down my cheek and down to my chin, lifting it up. "If you want my opinion, I think you are the most beautiful girl in the world." He leaned in and captured my lips in a searing kiss. I shivered at the feeling, but never wanted it to end. It was the first kiss I'd ever had…and I did see fireworks.


	14. Leaving

Chapter Fourteen

_His hand moved to stroke a strand of hair behind my ear, but it didn't stop there. His finger traveled down my cheek and down to my chin, lifting it up. "If you want my opinion, I think you are the most beautiful girl in the world." He leaned in and captured my lips in a searing kiss. I shivered at the feeling, but never wanted it to end. It was the first kiss I'd ever had…and I did see fireworks. _

I stayed with Leopold for a week. Since we couldn't sleep, we would spend hours gazing over the misty lake side-by-side. Sometimes he would kiss me, but I learned quickly never to expect it. Leopold was the one in charge of this relationship. The new budding feelings scared me, but never once did I mention them to my new companion. I was afraid it might scare him away.

"I'm leaving," Leopold announced one day while we were sitting by the lake. The sun was just starting to set, stars prickling through the gloom and the mist turned gold by the sun. I jumped from both confusion and fear.

"Leaving?" I half-whined, ashamed when my voice cracked with fear. If my heart hadn't been dead, it would've been galloping. "What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing, dear Bree." His finger trailed up my throat and lifted my chin so he could place a soft kiss on my lips. "You did nothing wrong, my dear."

"Then why?"

"I can't really explain, just I have something I have to do. And I have to do it alone. You understand, don't you?"

I nodded, even though I really didn't. What kind of job was he going to do that couldn't involve anyone, even me?

"Don't worry, my dear. I'll come back for you. Just go back to the _Cullens_ for now. Tell them any story; just don't tell them that you met me." Scorn laced his voice as he spit out the name of my former family like a dirty word.

"Are you leaving now?"

"Almost immediately. I just wanted to say goodbye and see you off first."

I nodded, standing slowly and turning my chin up in the hope of another kiss.

He obliged, lips ghosting over mine for a moment before going to my ear. I shivered at his breath traveling down my ear. "I'll miss you, my darling. I'll be counting the moments before I can see you again."

"When will that be?"

"Only time will tell, darling. Only time will tell. Now off you go." He stepped back and I walked backwards before turning around. I walked to the forest's edge and turned around, resisting the urge to run back to him. My eyes swept once over his powerful body, memorizing it, before I disappeared into the shadows.

I walked the whole way back. It took all day and half the night, but finally I reached the cabins around midnight. It was dark, but I knew my former family wasn't asleep. _Of course not. They can't. _Alice was already waiting for me with Carlisle. I could see Esme's face peeking from around the curtain of her own cabin and sensed the other Cullens waiting anxiously inside. I could hear their breathing, smell their individual scents. _Alice already knew about me coming. What else does she know about me? Does she know where Leopold is going?_

"Bree!" Alice ran and threw her arms around me. I almost flinched away and then settled into my sister's arms. "We were so worried about you!"

I stared at the ground. "I'm fine. Just needed to…get away for a while."

Alice nodded, but when I looked up I knew she saw through my lie. "Of course, Bree."

"Welcome back, Bree," Carlisle said in his wise voice. "Your eyes are dark. Have you not been hunting?"

I shook my head, still staring at the ground. "I wasn't thirsty." But as soon as my mind turned to thirst, the flames ripped through my body and it felt like I was burning all over again. The fire was burning, burning me up. Soon there would be nothing left but a little pile of ash…

"You can hunt tomorrow if you wish. For now, I think it's best we all get inside."

I nodded again, disappearing into the familiar sanctuary of my cabin. The door closed softly behind me and I leaned backwards against the wall, hand rubbing my head while I slid to the floor and shoved my face into my hands. If I'd been human, I would've been crying.


	15. Leopold Returns

**A/N: Yay another chapter :) I'm thinking this story is going to have 20-25 chapters in all, but I'm just going to have to wait and see how it goes. I'm actually not that far into the outline. Probably about a third or more. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy. I don't own Twilight.  
**

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Chapter Fifteen

_I nodded again, disappearing into the familiar sanctuary of my cabin. The door closed softly behind me and I leaned backwards against the wall, hand rubbing my head while I slid to the floor and shoved my face into my hands. If I'd been human, I would've been crying. _

I didn't move until a knock sounded through my cabin at dawn. I rose to my feet and opened the door. It was Bella, her features transformed permanently into vampire beauty. She smiled shyly.

"Hi," she said.

"Um…hi?"

"Look, I'm glad you came back. Do you want to go hunting with me?"

_Why would you want me to go hunting with you after I nearly killed you? _"Sure."

"Great. Come on." She led the way into the woods. As a vampire she was much more graceful than she had been before the transformation and soon she dropped into a hunting crouch as a pack of deer were betrayed by their scent.

It took only minutes for us to bring down a pair of them and fill ourselves. I could literally feel my eyes going golder by the moment. It was a nice feeling to finally rid myself of the dreadful red eyes.

"So," Bella said brushing deer hair off her clothes, "what were you up to?"

_So this is why they sent her with me. They're trying to figure out where I've been. As if they don't already know. _"Nothing. I found a beautiful lake in the mountains. I just wanted to be alone for a while, okay?"

"I can understand that."

"Just please…don't leave again? It's nice to have another girlfriend besides Alice. I love her, but you know how she gets about clothes."

I nodded, crossing my fingers behind my back. _No promises. _"I won't leave again."

"Did you meet someone?"

_Dang how did you know that?_ "Once."

"A male?"

_Are you Alice?_ "Yes."

"You love him, don't you?"

"Are you psychic?"

"No, I'm no Alice. I can just tell. When you're quiet, you look just like me when I think about Edward."

_I do not!_ "Yes, I like him. A lot."

"Just be careful, won't you? I don't want to lose you."

"I'm always careful."

We were silent as we walked through the woods. _How did she know all that? It's not really that obvious, is it? Alice must've told her. That's all. _

The weeks passed without a change. I hunted with Bella and sometimes with Alice. Esme even took me out once or twice. They never once said anything about Leopold or my time away from home. Everyone was really nice to me, abnormally nice in fact. Even Rosalie seemed to go out of her way to be nice. Which shocked and worried me most of all.

A month later, I was beginning to think Leopold was never coming back for me. Maybe he had been some sort of strange hallucination or vampire dream. Though if we didn't sleep, we couldn't dream and I'd never heard of a hallucinating vampire.

I was lying on my bed that night, staring at the ceiling and wishing I had someone to share my cabin with like the others, when I heard it. A soft creak and the swish of cloth. I leapt off the bed and landed on all fours, ready to fight if need be.

But Leopold stepped into the dim light of the moon, his stone-cold features shown into sharp relief by the light. His eyes were almost coal black, but he seemed to be the same as when he left. I almost squealed as I jumped to my feet and threw my arms around him.

"You've returned!" I whispered in excitement.

"I told you I would, Bree. Now, please be quiet. We don't want to wake the others, do we?"

I shook my head, stepping back to get a better look at him. He wore a beautifully made suit. Even with my meager knowledge of suits, I could tell this one was expensive. _I wonder where you got it…_

"Now, come on, dear. Let's get out of here." I followed him into the darkness of the woods without a second glance back at my old home and family. If they had heard me leaving or if Alice had seen it, they showed no sign of stopping me.


	16. Others

**Sorry it's been so long! Been so busy with school, etc and didn't feel much like writing anyway. Please review! Review = happiness = writing mood = new chapter sooner! **

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Chapter Sixteen

"_Now, come on, dear. Let's get out of here." I followed him into the darkness of the woods without a second glance back at my old home and family. If they had heard me leaving or if Alice had seen it, they showed no sign of stopping me. _

We covered the ground swiftly, Leopold not turning around to look at me once. I was a little concerned, but followed without question. I was just so glad that he had returned to me. Fire lapped at my insides, but for the first time it wasn't the painful memory of poison creating fire in my veins as it burned me inside out. It licked at my heart and created tingling sensations that traveled from my throat all the way to my toes. It was love.

But when I entered the clearing, others were already there. Their marble-white colored forms were arranged about the lake like some sort of marble sculpture garden. None of them moved a muscle as we entered the clearing and, for a moment, I wondered if they really were statues.

Then one of them raised their face to the moon, gazing at me with cold, red eyes. I gasped, stumbling backwards several steps and nearly running backwards into a tree. There were five vampires in the clearing, all with the same white skin that glowed in the moonlight, ruby-red eyes, and ragged black cloaks to cover their bodies.

"Leopold…" I whispered, staring at these new arrivals.

"Bree, this is Aiden." The closest vampire raised his eyes from the ground to my face and I winced, fighting the urge to run from his ruby-red gaze. I wasn't sure what affected me so much about these newborns since Bella had never made me want to run away. But maybe that was because I rarely ever noticed Bella's red pupils. Her gaze was always kind and never cold like these.

I forced myself to look at Aiden and nod back. His hair was bright red, but not quite like that of his eyes. He had probably been quite the nerd as a human, though most of his nerdy qualities had been burned away by the poison.

Again and again I forced myself to shake hands with the newborns. Kael had black hair that glowed almost blue in the moonlight and he seemed the nicest of the bunch. He tried to hold the cold gaze of the others, but it rarely lasted long and he was the only one that smiled and mumbled a hello. Cailyn had long blonde hair that might have made even Rosalie glare with jealousy. She was clearly aware of her beauty and seemed to me like the head cheerleader type. Natalia was the shortest of the group, and refused to look me in the eye. She must've been particularly shy as a human. I warmed up to her immediately remembering my own shy days. The last one was Taine, the tallest of the bunch, with large muscles that were bigger than Edward's but not quite that of Emmett's.

Several minutes of uncomfortable silence later, I motioned for Leopold to follow before striding off into the woods. We walked for at least a mile before I finally slid to a stop, standing with my back to him and my head down.

"Why…" I whispered staring unseeingly at the grass beneath my feet.

"Why what? Why are they here?"

I nodded.

"I found them and brought them here. They were alone and they needed someone to show them what to do. None of them are sure who their creator is. They would've destroyed their family and friends if I hadn't found them."

I shivered at the idea, remembering what a similar situation I had been in. "What were you doing?"

"I can't tell you that now, Bree. It's a long story for another day."

"We have all the time in the world."

"No, we don't. Let's go back to camp. Now."

I bristled at how he ordered me around but followed nonetheless. The others were waiting in the clearing like statues again. I shivered at the unnatural way they stayed in one place. Even as vampires that couldn't be healthy. Maybe they would sit like that for so long that they would _turn into_ statues. The grass would grow over their planted hands and feet, birds would perch among their hair, and moss would eventually grow over their polished forms as easily as a boulder.

I sat down next to Leopold and watched the sunrise as I tried to ignore the others as they moved in to form a semi-circle behind us. The only sound was the soft sound of air moving in and out of their cold lungs.

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**What do you think about Leopold now? And the others? REVIEW PLEASE! It only takes a few minutes to make my day! Hmm that sounds kinda cheesy...**


	17. Prisoner at the Lake

**Sorry it's been so long! Exams are next week so an update will depend on reviews and how much time I have around studying for them!**

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Chapter Seventeen

_I sat down next to Leopold and watched the sunrise as I tried to ignore the others as they moved in to form a semi-circle behind us. The only sound was the soft sound of air moving in and out of their cold lungs._

They disappeared into the mist sometime around dawn. I barely noticed them leaving it was so sudden and quiet. Just the ease of their departure -- as if they were no more than ghosts disappearing before the sun's rays could banish them from the world – was enough to put my nerves on edge.

"Where did they go?" I asked.

"They're just leaving for a bit. To hunt. It was a long way here."

"Will you tell me what you were doing when you found them?"

"Another time, Bree."

"What are we going to do now then?"

"This." He leaned over and placed his lips on mine. But this time I didn't see fireworks. I didn't have a tingling sensation spread from my toes to my heart. In fact, I felt nothing and I knew Leopold was the same. He was kissing me with a detached interest of someone completing a task that they had been ordered to do a hundred times and could do with their eyes closed. But I kissed him anyway until the sun stood overhead and the strange vampires returned.

Aiden was the first to return, climbing one of the taller trees with absolute ease and settling himself among the branches to watch the two of us. I felt uncomfortable under his gaze and immediately broke off the kiss, moving a few feet away and hugging my knees to my chest. A strong tugging on my heart was telling me to go home, but I couldn't leave for some reason.

Taine was the next to return, bloodstains marred his white shirt and his hair was ruffled. He stood among the shadows and flexed his muscles for himself. Cailyn was third with Kael and Natalia returning together soon after. Cailyn just glared at me and went to flirt with Taine. Kael and Natalia came right up to me and sat down.

"Hey," Kael said, smiling at me. His fangs were bright white, but for some reason they didn't seem as threatening to me as the others', Cailyn's included.

"Hey," I answered, smiling back.

"You new here?" Natalia asked her eyes meeting mine for the first time.

"Not as new as you two."

Kael laughed. "What are you doing here then?"

I shrugged at the question. "I'm not actually sure."

"She's with me," Leopold growled and Kael shot backwards.

"Sorry, boss!"

_Boss? Why does Kael call Leopold _boss_?_

Leopold came up to me and wrapped his arm over my shoulder. He pulled me against him and glared at the others to say _she's mine and if any of you touch her I'll snap your neck. _

Days turned into weeks and Leopold never left my side. He hunted with me, slept with me, sat with me. Once in a while I would try to talk to Kael, but he would pull me away. I never quite understood why he wouldn't let me speak to Kael, but he allowed me to talk to Natalia. It was rather annoying after a while. We kissed less and less and I enjoyed the ones we did share less each time. My heart kept telling me to get out, but my mind said it was impossible. With Leopold at my side every second of the day, there was no way to escape.

I was a prisoner here at the edge of the lake.


	18. Oath

**This chapter's extra long. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. I'm probably not going to get to update any time this week, but I'm hoping the updates will start coming more often now that I'm getting to the more action packed part of the story. Review please! I need something to cheer me up while I'm studying for exams! **

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Chapter Eighteen

_I was a prisoner here at the edge of the lake. _

"We're going hunting today," Leopold announced. I'd been sitting on the grass staring out over the lake. The thick gray mist drifting over the surface reflected my gloomy mood. I'd been sitting around the clearing for three weeks, leaving only to hunt.

"No." I was sick of this. I was sick of always being at Leopold's side. I was sick of not being allowed to talk to whoever I wanted whenever I wanted.

"What was that?" Leopold growled, staring down at me while I stood in my line of vision. I looked up at his cold, red eyes.

"No. I'm not going hunting today. You can go without me, but I'm staying here."

His hand came down on my arm and pulled me to my feet. He twisted it behind my back and whispered in my ear, "You are coming with me."

For the first time since I'd become a vampire, I was truly scared. Having my arm twisted behind my back didn't really hurt, but I couldn't move. Half of my brain tried to figure out if there was any way to get out of this, while the other half was paralyzed with fear.

"All right. We're going to hunt," I said, lowering my head with shame as he released my arm. I was a newborn vampire! I shouldn't have to give in to anyone!

"Good." He walked off into the woods and I had to hurry to catch up. We walked silently, Leopold refusing to look at me. It wasn't long before I caught the scent of a herd of deer drinking from a nearby stream and that of a bear farther away. A plan began to form in my head.

"Why don't you take the bear, I'll take one of the deer, and we'll meet up at the river?" I asked.

"Fine," his voice was strained with contained bloodlust. I waited for him to run off into the woods before I set off in the opposite direction of the deer.

_I have to go to the Cullens. If I make it there, they'll help me kill Leopold. _I took off at a flat run, pushing myself faster than I'd ever gone before. I made it two miles before something hit me like a boulder down a mountain. I flew into a group of saplings and snapped them all in half. I groaned at the impact and tried to shake it off, squinting up at whatever had hit me.

It was Kael. He loomed over me with a concerned expression. "Are you okay, Bree? Sorry, I didn't realize it was you, I swear!"

"Fine. Is there a particular reason you tried to _kill_ me?"

"I thought you might be another vampire or one of the Cullens."

"But why would you attack them?" I stood up and stared off in the direction that I knew led to safety. _I think I can make it…_

"Leopold told me to. You want to tell me why you're running through the forest like the devil is after you?"

"I'm running away. I'm sick of this place and I'm sick of Leopold. I…I don't want to live here anymore."

"Where were you going?"

"The Cullens. They brought me here; I thought they would help me if I could make it. Now, I think it's time you tell me a story since I told you where I was going."

"What?"

"How did you become a vampire?"

"It's a long story." He stared at the ground. "Leopold wouldn't like it if I told you."

_Now I have to know. _"We've got time."

"Um…As a human, I was the one everyone liked. I got invited to all the parties, I was everyone's friend. It was great. Then one night I was running around outside. It was the first warm day of the year and I was getting back into running again for the track season. But as I was running, something jumped out of the woods and landed on me, I crashed to the ground and all I remember was a sharp poke driven into the back of my neck, like two needles.

"Three days later, I woke up and found Leopold standing over me. He asked if I was okay, explained what had happened to me, and said that I could join him. I accepted, knowing only that he was like me and that he was nice to me. My old friends wouldn't have accepted the new me and I wasn't used to being alone. I followed him and he introduced me to the others. And then he made us all--"

His voice was cut off by a soft growl from behind us. I knew who it belonged to without turning around. "He made you all what?" Leopold asked.

"He brought us here," Kael corrected quickly.

Leopold ignored him. "Bree, you disobeyed me. You tried to run away. Now it's time for you to pay the price I should've had you pay the moment I met you."

_What's he talking about? _A shiver ran down my spine. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide. My muscles were frozen in place.

"Hold out your hand." I still didn't move. Leopold's arm snatched out and wrenched my arm away from my side and held it level with my shoulder. His lips came down and he ran them over my wrist before nipping lightly at the skin there. I cried out as pain lanced through my wrist. The venom couldn't kill me, but it would leave a scar. His head rose and he smiled at me. I tried to flinch away, but his hand continued to grip my wrist. "Now, swear yourself to me. Say, 'I will obey Leopold no matter what I think about what he's told me to do and I will always serve him before I think of myself. I will not try to run away again and I will obey him in every way, shape, or form.' Say it! NOW!"

My legs shook and threatened to give out. My jaw didn't seem to want to work. _What good is that going to do? It's not a real oath! It's not like it's binding or anything…_

He smiled as if he could read my thoughts. "An oath to a vampire isn't like oaths between humans. Those oaths are easily broken, easily forgotten, but an oath to a vampire is binding. You can't break it, no matter how hard you try, no matter how much you want to."

"What about Kael?" I croaked.

"Kael and the others took it the day I brought them together. Now say it, or I'll kill him." He pointed at Kael who took a step backwards. We shared a glance and he stared at me pleadingly.

My voice cracked as I recited the words. "'I will obey Leopold no matter what I think about what he's told me to do and I will always serve him before I think of myself. I will not try to run away again and I will obey him in every way, shape, or form.'" _I just signed my freedom away. _

"Excellent." Leopold grinned. "Now, both of you. Back to camp."

My mind tried to resist, but my legs carried me forward in the direction of the lake. The harder I tried to go back, to run to the Cullens, the more my legs pulled me forward.

"Don't worry," Kael whispered as we walked, "it gets easier."

I didn't see how that was possible. My heart was burning with sadness. "I thought you loved me!" I shouted. "I thought you felt the same thing for me as I felt for you! I thought you really cared for me!" I twisted my neck around so I could see Leopold while my legs kept traveling straight of their own accord.

He laughed a cold, maniacal sound that echoed through the trees and made it sound like a thousand Leopolds were laughing. "I never loved you."

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**For all of you that saw that Leopold was evil, very good. :) Apparently I'm a little too obvious. I also made the whole thing up about vampire oaths, though I think that would be obvious. If you loved it, review! Or even if you didn't love it. **


	19. A Job to Do

**I'm going to warn you in advance, this is a short chapter. I already have chapter 20 written and I'm planning on posting it Friday. Please review! Today is the one year anniversary of the day I lost my first horse so I could really use some cheering up. **

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Chapter Nineteen

_He laughed a cold, maniacal sound that echoed through the trees and made it sound like a thousand Leopolds were laughing. "I never loved you." _

My life turned into an endless repetition. I lived in the clearing constantly with whoever was there, except when Leopold took me out to hunt. For the first few days I fought his control before giving in. It was a waste of strength to fight the inevitable. Leopold didn't even bother keeping up the couple charade anymore. Now that the secret was out, he no longer needed to pretend he loved me, and strangely I was glad.

Every day I prayed to whoever was listening that Alice would see what had happened to me and come to save me, but no one ever came. I began to give up hope, believing that either Alice had missed my plight, or they were simply allowing me to suffer for leaving them.

Praying was what I was doing when Leopold came up to me a full week after my oath. He stroked my cheek with unusual tenderness and knelt down to whisper in my ear.

"You've been mine for a week now and I'm going to trust you with a little job," he whispered.

"What?" I growled.

"I need you to travel to a nearby city. There are a few vampires there with certain…qualities that I value. I want you to bring them here and as many others as you can find."

"Why?"

"Because I told you to! Now go!"

My legs unbent of their own accord as I stood and swept from the forest. Kael joined me about a mile in.

"I'm coming," he said.

"Okay."

I was glad for his companionship. If it wasn't for Kael, I would've begged someone, anyone, to tear me to pieces and burn them.

"Why are we doing this?" I asked.

"Because Leopold told us to."

"But why does Leopold want us to do this?"

Kael glanced around as if he was nervous that someone was listening in on us. "I have my suspicions."

"Tell me."

"I think Leopold's trying to build an army of some sort."

"For what?"

He shrugged. "That, I don't know."

The curse, as I called it, pulled us into a run and ended the conversation. We ran for miles and miles before finally stopping on the edge of the city. It was dark by this time, but the lights of the city still lit up the surrounding woods and the familiar city sounds echoed in my improved hearing.

"How can we ever find these vampires?" I asked. A loud growl ripped through the woods and Kael flew through the air and hit a tree with a loud crash. I tensed up as four vampires surrounded us, crouched ready to attack.

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**There you have it. If you guessed that Leopold was building some sort of army, you were correct. :) Chapter 20 shall be up on Friday after I get home from exams. According to my outline this story will have 24 or 25 chapters. Which means we are nearing the end already. **


	20. Newborns

**As promised I have an update today! Wow I can't believe this story is already 20 chapters long and almost done! :( Remember review if you love it and even if you don't. :)**

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Chapter Twenty

"_How can we ever find these vampires?" I asked. A loud growl ripped through the woods and Kael flew through the air and hit a tree with a loud crash. I tensed up as four vampires surrounded me, crouched ready to attack. _

I dropped into a crouch as Kael came to behind me. He crouched on the ground beside me as we sized up the new arrivals. The one in front was clearly the leader, big with thick muscles and a buzz cut. He looked like the kind of guy that hung out behind the school and beat up younger kids for their lunch money. The three others stood just a couple feet behind him, teeth bared with readiness. The one on his left stood just a couple inches ahead and looked like a head cheerleader with her straight blonde hair, lean muscles, and thin waistline. Not to mention the fact that she was still wearing her varsity cheerleader jacket. The other two were smaller with lean muscles and longer hair. One of them looked to be a foot shorter than all the rest, with a wary expression and small muscles. He looked like he was planning to run away as soon as the fight started and he could sneak away unnoticed.

"What are you doing here?" the head vampire asked.

"Leopold sent us."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

Instinctively, I rocked my weight onto the balls of my feet and extended both arms, revealing the thin white scars that Leopold had created before I took the oath. Kael did the same thing before falling forward into a crouch again.

The head vamp stood before I could react and the other three followed. I paused for a moment and stood. "Leopold sent us to take you to camp."

"Excellent. Lead on." I took off into a run with Kael beside me and the sound of our footsteps echoing as we ran. I hated myself at the moment, but for now, I had no choice but to keep on running.

We arrived at camp sometime after dawn and Leopold performed the oath ceremony right in front of the whole camp.

After that day, Leopold began to send me out on more and more missions. At first it was only to collect vampires that had already been turned, and all of them seemed to know Leopold somehow. One look at my scars and they were more than willing to follow me back to camp. I wanted more than anything to tell them to stay where they were, or to go get the Cullens and tell them of my capture, but it was forbidden.

"It's time for the next step in your training. If you do well in this mission, you'll be my second-in-command. Maybe I'll even give you some extra freedoms," Leopold said one day while I was recovering from a journey to a nearby city to retrieve three more vampires.

"What?" My voice was flat and expressionless as it had been ever since the curse.

"I want you to go to a nearby town. Kael will show you want to do. Scout out the strongest humans and don't come back until you have five newborns."

"You're going to make me steal the lives away from five humans just so you have five newborns?!"

"Now that you put it that way…Yes, I am. Kael's waiting." He grinned and I was forced into the woods where Kael was standing.

"I can't believe we're doing this," I said standing at the edge of the football field while the varsity football team ran back and forth as they practiced. We'd already scounted out a few likely candidates, it was just the matter of getting them alone. "How does Leopold know we're not just going to kill them?"

"We can't as long as he has control of us."

"True." One of the kids sitting on the bench was trying to catch my eye. I wished he wouldn't. _Just turn around, kid. Pretend you never saw me. It's better that way. Trust me. _

"Come on. Let's go hide out in the town until dark. I heard one of them is throwing a party and beer will be involved."

I nodded. "Sounds like a plan."

We hid out in an alleyway until dark, not moving and not talking. When darkness fell, it wasn't that hard to find the location of the party. It was the house with all the lights on and the kind of loud music that echoed down the street and results in the police getting called by disgruntled neighbors. The partying teenagers were spilling out onto the back lawn. We crouched in the hedges, waiting for our chance. It wasn't until two hours later that the police came and only a few drunk kids remained in the backyard. Three of them were the football players we'd targeted earlier.

"Ready?" Kael asked me.

"As I'll ever be." We crept from behind the hedges and I blocked the back door while Kael performed the deed. It wasn't hard; the kids were so drunk that three of them were lying on the ground squirming before the fourth even realized that something was wrong. Before he could run to the door, Kael was at his throat. We dragged the four of them through the hedges and into the woods where we gagged and tied them up with rope that Kael had with him.

I scouted the city for others while Kael kept watch over them. That's when I saw him. He had messy brown hair, crystal blue eyes, and lean muscles. He was on the football team...as the water boy. According to the gossip, he was single, a straight A student, and didn't have many friends.

And I loved him.

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**Anyone see that coming? I will update soon promise! Ahhh the plot thickens...**


	21. Adam

**Sorry it's been a few days since the last edit...I kinda got caught up in a bunch of other stuff and forgot that I'd already finished this chapter! But it's up now so read, review, and enjoy! It's been a long weekend and my writing muse went on vacation so if you want another chapter soon, review please! **

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Chapter Twenty-One

_I scouted the city for others while Kael kept watch over them. That's when I saw him. He had messy brown hair, crystal blue eyes, and lean muscles. He was on the football team...as the water boy. According to the gossip, he was single, a straight A student, and didn't have many friends. _

_And I loved him. _

After football practice he went to the locker room. Then he got into a blue pick-up with rusted fenders and a whine that probably should've been checked out. I followed him at a distance, running so fast that the humans walking by only saw a flash of movement quickly dismissed as "seeing things."

I followed him all the way to his home. It was a nice, white house but I knew no one was inside. The house was cold and empty. He pulled into the driveway, parked his truck, and went into the house. Judging by the scents and sounds I picked up, he went into the bathroom, into the kitchen, and up to his bedroom. I climbed into a nearby apple tree and watched him all night. My heart longed for him and I couldn't stop myself. He would be our fifth newborn.

_I shouldn't be doing this. If I really love him, I should walk away right now. He'll never know how close he came to having his life ended by me. _

_We need a fifth newborn or we can't go back. Why not him?_

_Because it's wrong!_

_Is it better to steal the life of a newborn I love than just any other?_

_What if he doesn't love you back?_

_What if he does?_

_What if he hates you for changing him?_

I had no answer for that, but despite my ongoing mental argument, I stayed in that apple tree. The sky gradually grew darker and I could see the kid sitting there in this room, doing his homework. His name was Adam. Adam Clark according to his notebook and books.

It was almost midnight by the time I left the tree. It was time.

I crept through the shadows to the door and picked the lock. The door swung soundlessly open and I closed it just a second later, confident that anyone not looking directly at the door wouldn't have noticed.

I heard the bed creak as Adam shifted in his room above. I picked the stairs out of the dark and started to walk up them. I took a deep breath as I stood outside Adam's bedroom door. Light slipped under the crack illuminated the empty hallway. A small bathroom sat to my left, smelling strongly of soap and cleaners. To my right was his parent's bedroom. I could smell the make-up his mother used and several other smells that I didn't recognize.

_Should I do it or should I turn back and leave this house right now? I can choose from any of those drunk idiots that are wandering the streets right now. _I reached for the doorknob and turned it. The door swung open.

I tingled with emotions as my eyes fell upon Adam. He was sitting on his bed with his book in his lap. His brown hair was hanging in his eyes and a hand rubbed his forehead. _Turn back now! There's still time! _He looked up and fear transformed his features. His eyes went round and his mouth opened as he prepared to scream for help.

"Who are you?!" he demanded, grabbing his book from the bed and raising it as if he planned to defend himself with it.

"I'm Bree." I didn't move.

"What-what are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry, Adam."

"How do you know--" his reply was cut off as I jumped to his throat. My teeth slipped easily through skin. I wanted more, but the curse would not allow it. I was disgusted by the whole thing. Stealing a simple boy's life away without asking just because I loved him. It was evil. But no matter how much I wanted to leave, I had to stay.

Adam writhed on the floor, his blue eyes shut tight while he squirmed and soft groans of pain echoed through the room. I gagged him, hating every minute of it, before gathering him into my arms. I forged a note to his parents telling them he had run away and left the house. With Adam in my arms, I returned to Kael.

"Who's this?" Kael demanded immediately as I stumbled into the woods where we were hiding. Already the three newborns were starting to stop tossing.

"This is Adam Clark." I set him down on the ground away from the others and sat down next to him. I smiled as I stroked his brown hair out of his eyes, aching with regret all the while.

"He's not what Leopold asked for! He asked for exceptional humans! Ones with strength, and speed, and abilities that are, you know, useful!"

"I'm sorry, but I had to do it."

"Why? Did he discover that you're a vampire?"

"No. It was just something I needed to do Kael." My voice was sad and my eyes pricked with tears that could never fall.

"Do you love him?"

I jumped at his unusual perception. "No!"

He grinned. "You do! You're in love!"

"Please don't tell Leopold!"

"I won't. But that man is amazing. He'll know, mark my words."

Fear struck my dead heart. That was exactly what I was afraid of.

*******

The smallest of the four newborns, Paul, was the first to awake. His eyes opened long after he stopped fighting his bonds and we were able to remove them.

"What happened?" he demanded, jumping to his feet. "What happened to my skin?!"

I let Kael explain it to him, and Seth, Zach, and Michael. I spent all of the three days tending to and watching Adam. It was while I was watching him that his eyes opened.

"You!" he shouted when I removed his bonds. "What are you?! Where am I?!"

"I'm a vampire." I smiled though I wanted to cry. "And so are you. Now."


	22. Punishment

**Excellent chapter 22. :) Next chapter will probably be up around...Monday, I hope. Maybe earlier if you review. Seriously, reviews make me update faster.**

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Chapter Twenty-Two

"_I'm a vampire." I smiled though I wanted to cry. "And so are you. Now."_

"What?" He jumped backwards into a single ray of sunshine. "Ah!" He held his hand away from his body like it was contaminated. His skin was sparkling in the sun like it was encrusted with millions of tiny diamonds. "What happened to me?! Vampires aren't even _real!"_

"Yes--" Kael began to speak, but I held up my hand to stop him.

"I'm real. You're real. Vampires are real. I'm sorry, Adam."

"But why me?!" He jumped to his feet, fists clenched and nearly toppled over with his own speed.

"Maybe we should go for a walk. Alone." I glanced at Kael and he nodded with reluctant agreement.

"All right."

I led him away, moving swiftly for several miles before sliding to a slow stop.

"Talk," he ordered, leaning against a tree and testing his new-found strength on a small twig by reducing it to a handful of splinters as fine as sand.

"You see…I'm a vampire. A long time ago a woman named Victoria turned me into one because she was building an army. She wanted to destroy a group of vampires called the Cullens. When she was destroyed by one of their coven, they took me in and brought me here. The Cullens are different because they only live off the blood of animals rather than humans, like I do."

"But why did you bite me?"

"Kael and I were supposed to bring back five newborn vampires because Leopold told us to. I saw you and…I thought you would be perfect."

"I'm not anything like those other four! I'm not strong or fast!"

A soft tingling spread from my heart to my toes. "I don't think so."

His jaw dropped and then snapped shut. "What do you--"

He was cut off by the arrival of Kael with the other four vampires in tow. I had to resist the urge to rip Kael's head off for interrupting us. "It's time to go back," he said and no sooner had the words left his mouth when I felt the curse's pull on my feet and they began to walk of their own accord back in the way we had come. I tried to open my mouth, to tell Kael everything, but my jaw was locked shut.

***

No one was in the clearing when we returned. At least, that's what I thought until Leopold dropped from a tree right next to me. I flew three steps backwards before slamming to a stop and freezing my shaking muscles.

"I thought you'd never come back," he said, grinning so wide it showed every one of his teeth. _Is it me, or have his fangs gotten sharper since the last time I saw him? _"What do we have here?"

"We brought what you asked for," Kael said in an expressionless voice.

"Excellent. But what's this? I didn't ask for a scrawny boy! I asked for newborns with _exceptional _talents. That means the strongest and fastest of the humans!"

"It was Bree that turned him, sir!" Kael said, shrinking back against the tree.

_Nice, Kael. Thanks a lot. _Leopold rounded on me and I swore he would catch himself on fire he was so furious. "Bree? You did this?!"

"Yes, sir."

"I hope you don't mind telling me _why_ you disobeyed a direct order? I give you a simple request and you can't even get that right!"

"I couldn't help it, sir. He just smelled so nice…"

"Don't give me any of that! I control you! Your actions are my orders! You can't 'not help something'! And you will be punished for it." He grinned and I shivered, back shoving against a tree hard enough to leave a dent. "Adam, come here."

_No! Get away from him! Adam, don't!_ I wanted to shout it, but I couldn't. My jaw was locked shut again. _Darn this curse! No get it off! Give me my voice back! _

"Hold out your hands." Adam obeyed, his arms standing straight out in front of him, marble skin glowing in the light of the moon. Leopold smiled at me and I knew that he knew about my feelings for Adam. This was pure torture, seeing my love being forced under the same curse that held me prisoner day and night.

"No! Adam!" My voice broke free for only a second, but it was too late. Leopold's teeth cut into his arms and left two long scars against his skin.

"Now, Adam Clark, repeat after me: 'I will obey Leopold no matter what I think about what he's told me to do and I will always serve him before I think of myself. I will not try to run away and I will obey him in every way, shape, or form.'"

"'I will obey Leopold no matter what I think about what he's told me to do and I will always serve him before I think of myself I will not try to run away and I will obey him in every way, shape, or form.'"

"Excellent. Now, why don't you go hunting? There's a lovely buck hidden in the shadows there on the beach."

Adam didn't have a choice. My heart ached as he dropped into a hunting crouch and stalked into the brush after the ordered deer. I stood and was forced to watch the other four vampires as they were sworn into our group. My heart ached for each and every one of them.

"Now our little group numbers thirty. Soon, very soon, we will set forth my plan," Leopold said, grinning directly at me.

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**Hmm so what's the plan do you think? According to my outline, we still have 8 chapters to go. :) **


	23. Enemies

**Because I made a silly mistake yesterday and posted the wrong chapter (it was pointed out and fixed a few minutes later :)) I'm going to give you another chapter right away, with a special surprise inside...**

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Chapter Twenty-Three

"_Now our little group numbers thirty. Soon, very soon, we will set forth my plan." _

Three days later, Leopold did just that. He gathered us into the clearing together with a silent command to our muscles. I was already sitting by the lake when he called and only had to wait for Michael, Aiden, and a few others to come in from hunting.

"Today, I'm going to give you all a special job," Leopold began, pacing in the center of our circle. We waited in silence for him to continue. "There are some vampires in the surrounding area that pose…a certain threat to our peace." He looked right at me and I swallowed. "We're not going after the Cullens _yet_. There are a few minor issues that I'd like to take care of first."

_Alice! Please! How can you possibly miss _this?

"Bree, you are going to take Taine, Kael, and Aiden and head north along the coast. There's a non-vegetarian group not too far from here. They're nomads, only a few decades old. Aiden will help you plan the best way to perform the attack and then Taine, Kael, and Bree will carry it out. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" we shouted together.

"Excellent. Go."

Our legs carried us into the forest, but not soon enough for me to miss Leopold saying, "Adam, you will go alone to the south--"

_Alone! _I wanted to shout. _He can't go alone! He's just a newborn and he's probably the weakest here! Leopold, please don't do this to me! _But it was too late. I was already walking along the edge of the beach with the water lapping at my bare feet. My eyes pricked with unshed tears and I wanted more than anything to turn around and run to Adam. I could help him on whatever mission Leopold had in store without anyone being the wiser. But Leopold was in charge here, not me.

It was dark when we reached their camp. I went forward alone to scout. They were sitting on the ground in a circle, backs against trees with their feet stretched out in front of them like a three-pointed star. All three of them were thin and still, just sitting and not talking. I scoped out the lone female of the group, a black-haired woman that looked like she could be a witch in the old days. The other two were both men, one a teenage boy with raven hair and the other was a red-haired man with little muscle to speak of. I could see the curve of his glasses and guessed him to be more of a scholarly type than a fighter.

Backing into the trees, I returned to Kael, Aiden, and Taine.

"Well?" Aiden asked when I stepped through the trees. We whispered so by the time the sound of our voices traveled to the nomads, they would sound no louder than the whistle of wind through the trees, if they could hear us at all.

"There's three of them, a woman and two men. One of them looks to be physically no more than 15 or 16. He might've even have been her son when they were human."

"That's nice, but what are their position?" Taine demanded, his voice just a decibel too loud.

"Shhhh," Aiden shushed him quickly. "We want to take them by surprise!"

"They're sitting in a triangle in the woods about twelve yards from here. Not talking and not moving."

"Excellent. All right." Aiden paused for a second. "Bree you take the woman, Taine the man, Kael the kid. Okay?"

"Okay," we whispered back. I crept through the trees in front, the only one of the group to be sure of the enemies' position. I paused, pointing ahead at the trees and the others nodded. Aiden climbed into a tree, ready to leap down at a moment's notice on the off chance we needed back-up. I circled wide, creeping silently through the trees so I could take the woman from behind. Kael did the same, only he was aiming for the teenage boy. My heart ached for the three of them for a moment and then Aiden's whistle rang out through the trees and I jumped forward onto the woman's neck.

The three of them heard the whistle at the same time we did, the boy jumping to his feet first. Kael landed on his back, but the boy smashed him into a tree. I lost track of the others after that. I was otherwise occupied by the witch woman trying to rub me off against the tree. My back smashed repeatedly into the tree until I was sure it was going to come crashing down. My fangs nicked her neck several times, but she was moving too much for me to aim properly. My fingers scrambled to keep their grip on her stone-like skin before finally coming loose. I dropped into a hunting crouch and smashed into the back of her legs before she could react. She toppled over backwards and I whipped around in mid-air, leaping at her throat. Her arms scrabbled to push me off as my fangs sank effortlessly into her throat, removing her head with sickening ease. Once she stopped moving I stepped back off of her body. The others already lay on the ground, not moving. Aiden jumped down from the tree.

"Good work, guys," he said, dropping the gasoline and matches to the ground. "Let's clean up." We moved the bodies to a clearer area and burned them. I had to resist the urge to either puke or run at the sickly sweet scent that filled the air and the black smoke that floated towards the sky.

**Alice POV (A/N: I had to do it. Wanted to show you what's going on in the Cullen Camp)**

"What's that?" Jasper asked as he and I returned from our extended hunting trip.

I glanced up at the clouds and recognized the swirling black smoke. Somewhere, a vampire was burning. "Oh no."

"Should we go check it out?"

"No. I just hope Bree's all right."

"I'm sure she's fine. She's probably a long way from here by now." Jasper cast the smoke one last glance and walked towards the cabin. I stayed behind, staring up at the smoke.

_She's not a long way from here. We tried to warn her that Leopold was no good, but leading an assault on his camp won't end well for us. _I hated keeping secrets from my family, but I knew that if I told them, even just told Carlisle, eventually news of Bree's imprisonment would reach the entire family. Jasper, Edward, and Bella would want to attempt a rescue, Rosalie would say she deserved it, Emmett would have to decide between Rosalie and a fight, and Esme and Carlisle would have to watch their family be split apart by the argument that would follow. No, this secret was better kept than told. _At least Edward's to busy with Bella to listen to my thoughts. I'm getting tired of reciting _Hamlet_ every time I start to slip. We have to wait for Leopold to make his move on us. His forces aren't as well-trained as he thinks they are. We can beat them, we just have to wait. Hold on for just a little while longer, Bree. _

_What if something goes wrong and that vision isn't right? You aren't always right after all, _my skeptical side complained.

_No, but I am most of the time. _ I refused to consider the possibility that I might be wrong about this. If I was, Bree and most likely my entire family would perish. _I'm not going to see that happen. _

The woods disappeared in favor of a vision. It was somewhere else, the woods surrounding a small clearing. Four vampires stood in a small circle around the fire, making sure all the pieces were burnt to ashes and nothing was left behind. Bree stood in the shadow, staring at the ground with her arms wrapped around her stomach. She looked like she was going to be sick. _It'll be okay, Bree, _I wanted to say. _You just have to hold on. Trust me, Bree. _

When I opened my eyes and glanced up at the sky there were three trails of smoke drifting towards it. I knew Bree stood near one of them, watching as the others burned the woman she had killed.

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**Did you enjoy the little incite into what's going on over there? I wasn't sure if I should keep it in, but decided to. :) Everything from now on will be from Bree's POV unless I have a random urge to show it from someone else's. Review please! I might even write up a new chapter tomorrow! **


	24. Kiss

**A/N: Sorry about the shortness of this chapter. It's necessary in the outline. The chapters will probably be shorter from now on, but much more action. :) Review as always! I want to read your thoughts! (In a non-creepy mind reading way. I'm not Edward.) **

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Chapter Twenty-Four

_When I opened my eyes and glanced up at the sky there were three trails of smoke drifting towards it. I knew Bree stood near one of them, watching as the others burned the woman she had killed._

When we returned to the clearing, confident that the vampires were gone, Leopold wasn't there. Adam however was sitting by the lake. I walked over and sat next to him.

"Want to come hunting with me?" I whispered to him.

He didn't look at me, sensing my eagerness to keep this a secret. "Sure."

I stood first, nodding to the others as I disappeared into the woods. I waited deep in the woods until Adam joined me and we began to walk.

"You don't really want to go hunting, do you?" he asked.

"No. I just wanted to talk."

"Okay."

I took that to mean that if I talked, he'd listen. "When I chose you…to change…it wasn't a random choice. I just want you to know: I'm sorry. I never meant for you to get trapped here like I am."

"There must be some way out."

"I tried to run once already. Kael tripped me by accident and then Leopold forced me to swear. Now that he controls my every move there's nothing I can do."

"There's always a loophole. If you find it."

I grabbed his arm and pulled him closer. His eyes went wide with shock at my closeness. "Relax," I whispered, running my lips up his throat. I pulled away and placed them on his. At first he was frozen with shock, but then he gave in. It was a hundred, no, a thousand times better than anything I had shared with Leopold. The fireworks were brighter, hotter, and I thought I might drown in the tingles that spread from my heart through my whole body.

I'm not sure how long we stood there, kissing like we did. Neither of us required oxygen so that wasn't an issue. Neither was either of us willing to be the first to pull away. So we stayed in that little grouping of trees, a ray of sunlight peeking through the leaves and turning our bodies into living diamonds.

I was the first to pull away, breathing heavily even though the oxygen wasn't required. His eyes were staring off into space and he looked like he was in a trance. I smiled at him and he smiled back. "I--"

My sentence was never meant to be finished. Because, at that moment, someone cleared their throat behind us. Fear struck my heart, bringing me down from the clouds with an unpleasant crash. I turned around slowly and my eyes fell upon the last organism in the world I wanted to see: Leopold.

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**He always has to go and ruin everything doesn't he? Review please! **


	25. Breaking Free

**Sorry it's been so long since last update! I've been in a writing slump lately (and still am.) Review please it might help me write more! Also, this isn't the last chapter. According to my outline there will be five more. **

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Chapter Twenty-Five

_My sentence was never meant to be finished. Because at that moment, someone cleared their throat behind us. Fear struck my heart, bringing me down from the clouds with an unpleasant crash. I turned around slowly and my eyes fell upon the last organism in the world I wanted to see: Leopold. _

"Isn't this sweet," he said, but his harsh voice and black eyes suggested that he didn't think it was at all sweet. "I do so enjoy being right."

_Right about what?_ The words slid to the tip of my tongue and I bit them back. I wasn't going to do anything that might make Leopold angry. Especially not now.

"You've forgotten your duty, Bree. Can you tell me what your duty is?"

I remained silent. Adam was just standing there, staring at the ground as if he didn't know what to do with himself.

"Bree." Leopold's growl was threatening and made me want to turn and run.

"To serve you," I whispered, voice cracking.

"That's right. Your duty isn't to sneak off with skinny little vamps that aren't worth more than the skin off a dog's back."

I bristled at the insult and my mouth opened to retort. But the words wouldn't come to my tongue no matter how hard I tried.

"I'm going to punish you," Leopold continued, "so you will know who's boss. Who do you listen to?"

"You," the words came without effort and I couldn't stop them.

"Correct. Did you listen to me?"

"No."

He paced up and down through the trees. "I'm trying to think of an appropriate punishment for you."

"You could exile me."

He threw me a glance. "That's what you want. This is about _you. _It's about _me." _He started to pace and it worried me. I just wanted him to give it over with. Then he grinned, which didn't make the scene any better. "I have the perfect idea."

I resisted the urge to say 'what?' which would probably have just made him angrier. Instead, I waited.

"This newborn-" he jerked his head at Adam "-has outlived his usefulness. Do you know what that means?"

"You're going to let him go?" My voice cracked. I already knew the answer, and that wasn't the one.

He laughed. "Clever, but no." His face was serious again. "You're going to destroy him."

I staggered backwards, all emotion draining out of me except for fear. It stayed, consuming my every muscle and thought. "No," I whispered.

"What was that?"

"No!" I shouted and listened to hear it echo through the trees.

Leopold wasn't smiling anymore. "You will do it. You've forgotten that you serve _me, _not yourself."

I glanced over at Adam. He was frozen with a blank expression and instinct told me he had no idea what was going on.

"Let him go," I said, glaring at Leopold. "I at least want it to be a fair fight."

"If that's what you want." He paused and Adam shook his head, coming to his senses. "I'll enjoy a good show. I won't wait long." He stepped back and my muscles pulled forward into a hunting crouch. My eyes focused of their own accord on Adam as he pressed his body against a tree.

I lunged and he stepped aside, allowing me to slam face-first into the tree. We began a dance of me lunging for him as he dodged. I knew he was trying to think of an alternative – any alternative – to one of us killing the other. But my brain had already ran through them all and it was impossible.

My heart ached as my hands found their mark and began to scrabble against his skin. My teeth tried to find his throat. Then a thought broke through Leopold's control and I swear my heart started to beat again, if only for a moment. _I love you. _My mouth formed the words, but no sound came out and Adam's head was too busy avoiding my attacks for him to see my lips. _I love you. _I released him and felt my muscles slowly loosen. It was like they were turning from steel into pudding.

I fell to the ground and turned towards Leopold, but he was gone. "Where did Leopold go?" I whispered.

"I don't know," Adam answered. "Get out of here. Find help."

"I can't leave you."

"Go!"

I nodded, already turning towards the trees. I meant to tell him my feelings, but there was no time. He was already gone. It killed me to leave Adam there, knowing that Leopold would realize sooner or later what had happened. Maybe he would find someone else to kill Adam or just do it himself.

_I have to find the Cullens, _I told myself, shifting into a flat-out run. _They'll help me. And Adam. _


	26. Coming for Us

**Only four more chapters to go! I can't believe it's almost over already... Usual A/N. I don't own Twilight, review as always, blah blah blah, enjoy! **

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Chapter Twenty-Six

_I have to find the Cullens, I told myself, shifting into a flat-out run. They'll help me. And Adam._

Alice was waiting for me when I slid to a stop in the clearing. "You knew," I said. It wasn't a question. She nodded. "Where are the others?" She jerked her head towards the cabins. "I need to talk to them. Now."

She nodded again. "They're coming."

"Do they know? About me? Leopold?"

She shook her head. "No. If I'd told them, they would've wanted to come after you."

_That wouldn't have been that bad of a thing! _"And that's bad because..."

"And some of us would've died. This way, at least there's a big chance we will all survive."

I shivered, but couldn't reply. The rest of the Cullens appeared in a circle around me, Jasper arriving first to wrap his arm around Alice's waist. Rosalie and Emmett were the last to join us.

"Where have you been?" Esme asked, running over to give me a huge hug. "We were so worried!"

I took a deep breath and told them everything. Everything about me, Leopold, and the others. I even told them about Adam, though I left out the fact that I loved him.

"That's easy." Emmett flexed his arms. "Let's go now. We'll take them by surprise and destroy this…Leopold before he can come for us."

"Why should we risk our family?" Rosalie growled. "He probably won't even bother us. You're forgetting that _she's_ been spending the last few months with him. How do we even know we can trust her?"

"It's my fault any of this happened," Bella spoke up, as usual blaming the whole thing on herself. "We have to fix it. I want to help. I can fight."

"Bella, you're still a newborn. Your fighting style is improving, but there's no way you can beat all of them by yourself. You stay here, and we'll go after Leopold."

"But I want to come!" Bella whined.

"No one's going anywhere," Carlisle said and everyone fell silent. "Let's just talk about this. Alice, what should we do?"

"We have two options: we can stay here, or we can go after them. Either way, they're coming for us."

"So we should get them before they can get us!" Emmett shouted. "We have the element of surprise that way."

"We couldn't catch Leopold by surprise," I interrupted. "He has guards all the way around the clearing. He'd know we were coming well in advance and he could pick us off one by one."

The Cullens erupted into an argument over what the plan should be. From the bits I heard Emmett wanted to go fight right away, Rosalie was half supporting Emmett and half supporting her own desire to stay out of it altogether, Alice wanted to wait to see if she could find out what would happen, Jasper was supporting Alice, Bella wanted to help fight no matter where it happened, Edward just wanted Bella out of the way, and Carlisle of course wanted to avoid violence. Only me and Esme stayed out of the argument, me because I didn't know what to do and her because she was just concerned about her family's safety.

"Stop!" Jasper called and everyone fell silent. Alice stared off into the distance and I knew she was seeing something very far away. A few minutes later, it was over.

"What did you see, Alice?" Carlisle asked as Jasper steadied her with one hand.

"A vampire army is coming for us," she answered, looking around. "Tonight. We can't go to them or they'll just pick us off one by one. If we hurry, we might be able to catch them off guard."

"Will we win?" I whispered.

She shook her head. "I don't even know if all us will survive."


	27. The Fight Begins

**Can't believe there's only three more chapters to go! My goal is to finish this story before the 15th and then in celebration of Half Blood Prince release (FINALLY!) I might start the new idea that's been bugging me for so long. Anyway, read, review, and enjoy. I do so enjoy reading your reviews. :D **

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Chapter Twenty-Seven

_She shook her head. "I don't even know if all us will survive."_

**Leopold's Camp: (this is in third person instead of first like normal. Sorry for any confusion, but I wanted to show you what's going on in enemy territory)**

It was dark when everyone gathered around the clearing. Adam stayed to the outskirts, trying to keep out of Leopold's way. He wasn't willing to risk being killed. Leopold had agreed to spare him – for now – but he couldn't shake the feeling that Leopold had a horrible plan for him.

"It is time for you to prove your worth," Leopold began, standing at the center of his little group. No one moved a muscle. "We are going to attack the Cullens' camp tonight. They are a fierce coven of vampires, but no match of our might. But the little one will see us coming and the bronze-haired one will hear us. No one think of the plan as you enter their camp. If you do, all will be lost and if you survive, you shall be punished severely. Am I understood?"

"Yes, sir," the group said.

"Excellent. Here's the plan. You three," he pointed at the three strongest vampires, "you will take on the largest. His name is Emmett and he's bound to be the first to attack." He continued to divide up the newborns until all was assigned to a vampire to attack, except for Adam. With a grin, Leopold turned towards him. "And you shall attend to Bree. I want you to loop through the woods without us and come at her from the side. Destroy her, as she should've destroyed you."

**Bree's POV (back to first now)**

The waiting was murder. Everyone was silent, paired up as they waited. I could sense the love pulsating from all of them in waves. No one seemed willing to voice the fact that this might be the last time they saw each other.

I was alone. Guilt consumed my mind and I tried to push it away, but it only came back. If I'd never let Leopold trick me this never would've happened. We wouldn't be facing a battle that could end with our deaths. The guilt grew like fire and began to consume me.

"It's not true you know." I jumped as Edward appeared at my side. _Damn mind-reading vampires. _He laughed. "Leopold would've come after us even if you hadn't joined him. He always could've gotten those newborns without you and then he would've come."

I nodded, but it didn't ease the guilt. "I know, but I still dragged Adam and so many others into this. It's my fault they were changed."

"You didn't want to change them, you had to. Because Leopold told you to. So it's his fault they were changed, not yours."

"Thanks." _But it was my idea to change Adam. Leopold didn't tell me to do that. _

"I'd better get back to position. I can hear them now."

My muscles tensed and I waited. And waited. And waited. Then with a loud growl the vampires burst from the trees and attacked.

It was all a jumble of confusion after that. For a split second I saw each of my family members as they fought against at least two vampires each. I started to take a step to help someone – anyone – and then a weight hit my side with the force of a boulder rolling down a mountain.

I lay dazed on the ground for a moment and then stood up, shaking it off. Adam stood a few feet away, crouched for hunting, and sprang. He bowled me over again and we somersaulted into the trees. I kicked both feet hard into his stomach and he flew off. Before I could react, he leapt again and his fangs missed my throat by a fraction of an inch and clipped my shoulder.

I whined with pain and threw him off again, trying to run while clutching my shoulder with one hand. Adam was going to have any of that though. He jumped onto my back, nipping the other shoulder.

"Adam!" I threw him off and into a tree. I turned and zeroed in on his neck. Fear surged through my body. It wasn't the fear of losing my own life either. "Please stop!"

"I can't," he growled. "Leopold told me I had to destroy you." He jumped and collided with my legs, sending me hurtling onto my back. His fangs dug into my leg and I kicked him off.

"Dammit, Adam please! You don't understand!"

He sat on my legs and smiled. It sent cold chills shuddering through my entire body. I remembered the pain in both shoulders and my leg, but it didn't seem important anymore. "What don't I understand?"

I gasped as pain surged through my body. "I-I love you!"

The smile disappeared. If he had been human, I swear he would've blushed. The cold look disappeared and he rolled slowly off my legs, crouching next to me. His look of shame hurt me more than the rapidly scarring bites. "I love you too and I-I'm sorry. So sorry, Bree. You probably don't ever want to see me again, do you?"

"Of course I do." I smiled and sat up. He started to lean in and I closed my eyes, but a feral growl brought us both to our feet. For a moment we had forgotten the battle that was still going on just a few feet away. "We have to save the others."

He nodded. "Come on."


	28. The Final Battle

**Only two more chapters to go! I'll try to get one up tomorrow and then the last one up Monday or Tuesday depending on how things go. Read, enjoy, and REVIEW! Seriously I want to know what you think good or bad. **

**Oh, and tell me, do you want me to put my focus on a new Harry Potter fic or What Could Have Been (my other Twilight fanfic)?  
**

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Chapter Twenty-Eight

_He nodded. "Come on."_

At first glance the battle didn't appear to be going well. Vampires were scattered all across the clearing while my family continued to fight on. Bella had managed to get away from her opponents and was piling as much wood up as she could. Edward beheaded his opponent – a rather vicious redhead that reminded me somewhat of Rosalie – and helped her throw pieces on. Bella pulled a pack of matches out of her pocket and lit the fire. A sickly sweet smell filled the clearing and black smoke drifted towards the sky.

Despite the fire that was now consuming their comrades, the others continued to fight on. Adam and I nodded at each other and leapt into the fight.

I glanced around and spotted Esme. Her tiny form was being overwhelmed by two newborns that were almost as big as Emmett. Carlisle kept glancing towards her and was getting nearer and nearer with every second, but he was preoccupied with two of his own adversaries. I took a deep breath and launched myself onto the backs of one of them. Within seconds he lay on the ground in two parts and Bella was hurrying over to drag him away.

One by one the tide of the battle began to change. The newborns were so absorbed in the fight with their assigned targets that they forgot all about me and Adam, and we were able to dispatch them easily. I let Emmett and Jasper deal with the rest and paused in the shadow of a huge tree, looking around the battlefield. In the past hour the pile of wood and vampire had grown to be well over my head and Bella had to start another. I worried for a moment that the black smoke obscuring the sky would draw humans in, but pushed the thought out of my mind.

"Where's Leopold?" I asked Adam when he joined me in the woods.

"I saw him a few times during the fight, but he never got involved. I think he might have fled."

A growl grew deep in my throat. "I'm not going to let him get away." I turned and started to run, ignoring Adam's calls to come back.

I followed Leopold's scent with ease and didn't have to pause once. I ran faster as the scent grew stronger and fear mixed in with it. I knew I was getting close as I turned the corner and screeched to a stop. Leopold stood just a few feet away. His back was to me and yet, I knew that he knew that I was there.

"You escaped," was all he said.

"Yeah." I took a step forward and narrowed my eyes.

"And here I was thinking that the oath was foolproof. I guess you proved me wrong." He paused as if debating something. "What I'd like to know is: how?"

"I don't think you need to know." I took another step and my eyes focused on the back of his neck. Hatred boiled in my stomach. "You're finished, Leopold."

"Am I?" He didn't even turn around and his voice continued in the same arrogant, level tone.

"Yes. You are."

"Before you finish me, tell me: how did you escape the oath?"

"I'm not even sure."

"You must have some idea."

"No." I dropped into a hunting crouch. He turned around and his face shocked me more than anything. He was _smiling. _Here I was about to kill him after he lost an entire army because of me and he was smiling. _If there was ever an insane vampire, he's it. _

"Dear Bree, if you were really going to kill me, you would've done it by now. You wouldn't have stopped when you found me. You wouldn't have taken the time to have this nice little chat."

I knew he was right. "That doesn't mean I'm not going to kill you."

"But it _does. _You don't have the guts to kill me."

"Oh, don't I?" All the rage I'd been feeling burst out of its cage. All the confusion I'd been feeling over Adam, the rage I felt for Leopold trapping me into this, the guilt I had for ending the lives of so many people just because he told me to. I released it all in one loud growl and leaped. Leopold stepped aside easily, but I had none of that. I turned in midair and screeched to a stop, grass giving way beneath my feet.

I lunged several more times and each time Leopold stepped out of the way. My anger grew. Finally I took a few steps back and watched him.

"You can't kill me, Bree," he said calmly. "You're not good enough and next time, I'll be stronger."

I shook my head. "There won't be a next time." I lunged, aiming for his feet instead of his throat this time. He wasn't prepared for my assault and went crashing to the ground. Before he could react, before either of us could blink, I was at his throat.

The fire took seconds to build and him minutes to burn. I watched with cold satisfaction as the fire consumed every bit and the black smoke filled the sky. The fire was just starting to burn out when Adam appeared through the trees. He came silently at first and then ran over to wrap his arms around me when he realized I was still alive.

"You should've waited," he murmured. "I could've helped you. I thought you were dead."

"I know and I'm sorry. But this is all over now." He turned me around and kissed me, slow at first and then rougher. My hands wrapped around his neck in a tight grip that told him I never wanted him to let me go.


	29. The End

**Okay so originally, this was going to be 30 chapters long. But 29 was so short that I just decided to make the last two chapters into one longer one. Which means this IS the last chapter of New Dawn The Story of Bree. I've enjoyed writing Bree's story so much, but all stories come to an end. Thanks everyone for the wonderful reviews! I'm going to keep writing both fanfiction and regular novels and I hope you'll all be around to read them. :) /mildly sappy AN**

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Chapter Twenty-Nine

"_I know and I'm sorry. But this is all over now." He turned me around and kissed me, slow at first and then rougher. My hands wrapped around his neck in a tight grip that told him I never wanted him to let me go. _

By the time we got back to camp, everything was over. The fires were slowly starting to burn down and the smoke wasn't quite as heavy. A small group of vampires were gathered in a little group guarded by Emmett and Rosalie. I could see new scars on both of them and shivered. Adam squeezed my hand and we walked on. Esme and Carlisle, Alice and Jasper, and Bella and Edward were having thoroughly silent celebrations of their own.

When we walked into the clearing the three pairs broke apart and grinned at me.

"Leopold?" Jasper asked.

"Destroyed," I answered.

"Positive?"

"One hundred percent."

"I'm sorry to break up the celebrations," Emmett shouted angrily, "but what are we going to do about these guys?" He pointed his thumb over his shoulder at the little group of vampires.

I walked over to them and Adam followed. I was glad to see Kael and Natalia in the group. "We surrendered," Kael explained, staring at the ground as if he was ashamed.

"I'm glad you did," I said and turned around. "Carlisle, maybe you could teach them how to be vegetarian vampires like the rest of you. What do you say guys?"

Most of them looked confused. "I'm not quite sure I understand what you're talking about Bree," Kael finally said. "I understand though, if you don't want us to stay or don't trust us to leave."

I whipped around. "Kael, Natalia, everyone, you don't have to be monsters. You don't have to kill people just to survive or fight others because someone else told you to. You can be just like me. We're monsters, yes, but we don't have to be that way."

"There isn't enough game for them all," Emmett protested.

"They don't have to stay forever. We can teach them and then when they think they can be trusted, they can leave. Think about it, maybe they can help us." I paused and remembered something. "Like when the Volturi come to check on Bella. Edward, I know that you worry about that. I know that you all worry about that."

"How do you know, Bree?" Carlisle asked.

I paused. "I-I don't know. I can't explain it. It's just a feeling I have. Just like I know they'll come. Not today, not tomorrow, maybe not even this year. But I'm sure that they're going to come sometime and when they do, we'll need everyone we can get."

"All right," Carlisle said. "They can stay for a while and if they so wish, I'll teach them our lifestyle."

I grinned and turned to hug Kael. "It's all right now," I said, hugging Natalia next and then Adam. "We're all going to be all right."

**One Year Later**

For the first time since the Battle, I was sad. Most of the newborns had already left, excited to begin their new life somewhere else. But now it was Kael and Natalia's turn. In the year that we had spent together, we'd become fast friends. The four of us practically made our own coven, but it was time of them to move on. Kael wanted to see his parents one last time and then the pair intended to go find their own place to live.

"We'll see each other again," I told Kael as we hugged good-bye. The feeling was back. Everyone else called it a hunch, but I believed it was something more than that.

"I'll miss you," Natalia said.

"I'll miss you too," I answered. "Both of you."

Adam stood back and shook both their hands. I knew he was just as sad as I was to see our two best friends go, but he wasn't willing to show it. My eyes prickled with the closest thing a vampire could come to crying.

When all good-byes and thank yous and we'll see you agains were said, the two left the clearing.

"I think it's time for us to go too," I told Adam. "We've stayed here long enough."

He wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my throat. "I've been thinking the same thing."

"Where would you like to go?"

"I don't know. I've always wanted to go to the beach, but we couldn't go to a public one. Maybe we could find our own island, you know, like Esme has."

I nodded. "That would be nice."

"Should we say good-bye then?"

"We should."

But it was harder than I thought. Even Emmett and Rosalie seemed sad to see us go, though they would never admit it. I reminded everyone that we would see them again and to come for us first if the Volturi ever came to call. Alice agreed to let me know.

And so me and Adam left the camp, together and ready to face the world.

"You know," I said as we left, "maybe we should follow Kael's example. Can we stop and see my parents on the way? I just want to see them. They'd think they were insane anyway if they met me."


End file.
